My first day in Cataclysm is over and I am very impressed with everything so far! I made it to level 83, which is pretty good considering I was only on for half the day. As I logged on for my evening gameplay, I started to see server firsts for reaching 85…crazy!
I am going to leave you guys with my first impressions of Cataclysm, so feel free to chime in if you have anything to add!
Retribution and Mana Issues
I really thought I was going to have more mana issues, but mana is a non-factor, at least through the first half of leveling. Haven’t had to stop to drink once, and I have only used Divine Plea a handful of times. Honestly, it’s nice not having to worry about it.
Retribution and Holy Light
Figured out Word of Glory is not so great for healing when immediately exiting combat. It’s usually weak, and with mobs hitting pretty hard, I’m healing often after combat. Holy Light is 100% the way to go, thanks to a 300% buff with Crusade, which we should all have as a core talent.
Retribution and Avenging Wrath
Use Avenging Wrath often. You will need it. Mobs are harder, and they hit hard. Multiple mobs are going to give you a nasty challenge if you aren’t careful, so don’t be frugal with Avenging Wraths. Use them, and use them often!
Mob Difficulty
That brings me to mob difficulty. These aren’t your ordinary trash mobs. They have large HP pools, and have traded in their wiffle bats for some cold, hard steel. Be careful, and learn how many you can take on at once. Three was usually my limit, with 4 really pushing it and almost always requiring buffs, Lay on Hands or shields.
Weapon and Gear Replacement
Replaced my weapon at level 82 in Deepholme. Can’t remember the axe name, but it was a rare quest reward. Two of my four T10 are gone, and I have replaced my helm and trinket. WoW Armory hasn’t updated my most recent changes at the time of this post.
Inns with No Rested XP
Some bases or retreats I found myself in had Innkeepers, yet the buildings they were in did not change my level 80 to little zzzz’s. Was not accumulating rested XP in these “Inns”, so make sure to check before you log out!
Lootable Mobs with No Loot
I’m sure many of these mobs aren’t supposed to have loot, but I ran into a good handful of mobs that allowed me to loot, but come away empty-handed.
Quest Markers Off?
Found several quest markers close to where they needed to be, but as I closed in and got near, the marker would shift quickly to another area. Didn’t happen all the time, and really isn’t a big deal to me, but it was something I noticed on more than one occasion.
Flying Mounts in Water
Where was I when flying mounts could swim in water, and we can now take off from water with our flying mounts? Woot!
Flow of Quest Chains and Quest Stacking
The flow of questing is much better this time around, and even though there are usually no more than 3 quests per trip, they go pretty fast. Usually they are a kill quest, gathering quest, and action quest. They probably could have made quest stacking a little better by combining quests, but due to the sheer number of quest hubs (which are many), I understand why they didn’t.
Nice round up of the day’s events Khor. I too got to level 83 and your observations are spot on.
Mobs do hurt you a lot more and require as much defensive moves as offensive ones while in the encounter. I use AW as often as I can and keep Zealotry if I need some fast healing, WoG during encounters and Holy Light as soon as I am free and clear. I have also been making greater use Divine Protection and my Dwarven Stone Form.
Inquisition – I have been testing it out whilst leveling and in about half the Dungeons I have done so far. It has made a noticeable difference to my Dungeon DPS and a well placed Inquisition has a bigger impact on those Quest mobs than just using it for TV.
I hope to hear about your thoughts and whatever testing you may be doing with it at the moment to see if my own use of it thus far is not totally off track. As for actually damage relative to how it was or what it should/could be… I shall leave such tried and tested methodology to you.
Happy leveling and see you the other side of 85
I can say I have only made it to 81 and a half in a day, but have been stuffing about and enjoying the new content, actually reading the quests and enjoying the scenery. The flick of the switch moment and the billions of toons swamping the NPC’s at SW was insane. Im not in any race to make 85, but have found your site to be the most up to date and frequently updated with the news and opinions that make for smoother leveling. Great work and keep it up. After all, it’s a game and a greater one at that.
Has anyone found out if there is a newer build of CLCret that included Inq? I imagine our prioritization would place it over Zeal/TV for 3HP usage, but it would be helpful if clcret tracked it.
I’ve also noticed that aggro is a much larger issue so far than it was in WotLK. At a glance, I’d say they they’ve halved our dps numbers, but left the aggro gain on the same abilities alone…meaning I end up pulling aggro on about everything I attack for more than 30 seconds (and it isn’t the tank’s fault, per se…he was our MT for all of 10 and 25man ICC)
Just some thoughts, happy leveling.
About the quest markers, they move because for example, the mobs can appear in several places so if no mobs there they move to another place with them.
I think the quest markers he’s talking about is those question marks on the minimap. I found that those would be showing in the wrong place.
@ Nagasaky – Maximu is correct, I was referring to the question marks and exclamation points on the minimap
Sorry if there was confusion!
One thing i must say is i am most disappointed in our instance performance. We have no useful aoe seals, holy wrath is pretty weak and divine storm doesn’t get my approval either. When bosses come, we tear through the meter to the top faster than… something that’s really fast. D’you know what i mean?
Did anyone else get those jerkoffs on thier mounts, standing on top of the flight trainer….took me 10 mins to click on him lol
@ Sath – V to show his bar
About the inns with no rested xp.
I noticed that you most times get rested when you stand close to places where they have placed blankets or cots.