:::31 January - 6 February 2007:::
Hmm, I haven't posted an update since TBC hit.  IT IS GOOD!  I am 64 with Gabbath now.  I know I am going at a very slow pace (I am only getting a couple hours a night when I get to play) but it takes A LOT of XP to level.  Last night I was questing, doing many kill X number of X quests and I only got 1/3 of a level and it was ALL rested XP!  Getting 65 will be important because it will open up a few more instances.  Outside of a few guild runs (more on those in a sec) I have been soloing the levels, and it has been fun!  There are so many quests to do that you are constantly doing something different.  In Hellfire Peninsula there was at least 20 quests to do.  You do things like blowing up towers at an Orc fortress to even airborne bombing runs.  There were many of the kill x number and collect this and that, but all in all they are developing the story and introducing a lot of content.  I have finished the HP quests and I have moved to Terroak Forrest.  I also started some of the marshlands quests.

 

Well, things changed a little bit before I even completed the update.  It is now 6 Feb 2007.  My progress is still VERY SLOW as I am just 65.  I have done a lot of questing in Terroak and just trying to catch up.  There are dozens of 70's in Disavowed, with several more in the 67-69 range.  I need to pick up the pace if I ever expect to raid again.  Hopefully, tonight I can spend a lot of time knocking out a lot of quests (in the marsh and in the forrest) and hit 66 tonight or tomorrow.  I have enough rested bonus to complete 66 (I am about 1/3 of the way in the level).  Then I will try to get 67 and well on my way to 68 over the weekend.  I am off work the week of the 19th but I want to be 70 well before then.

 

They really have helped the Paladin with this expansion.  Now the Pally is a viable tank or main healer, or even decent DPS.  When I solo-quest, I will usually grab two to four mobs and have them beat on me at one time.  I rarely die.  The only time when this is an issue is when I am fighting the Blood Elves and they siphon mana from me.  One time I had seven mobs that were at least my level beating on me at one time.  With my Consecration and Retribution aura I just let them wail away and they slowly dropped.  It was quite exciting.  In instances tanking is fun.  With improved aggro building talents and improved blocking I can hold aggro and mitigate enough damage to not be a complete mana sponge.  I have a "snap aggro" spell that I can gain aggro - even from a mob that broke mind control.  I have been main tank in the Citadel, slave pens and Underbog.  Last night I was main healer in a mana tombs run (with Nate - Pally, Khoas & Jakks - Warriors, and a new guild rogue)  We had a few deaths because we didn't have great crowd control and because there were a few mobs that triggered the Global Cooldown (that 15 seconds are the LONGEST 15 seconds in the world!  Your party is needed healing and you can't do anything!)  I don't know why I was having this happen.  I have 5/5 in Spiritual Focus and was running concentration aura so I should have 100% interrupt free healing.  I didn't have it.  Anyhow, we finished Mana Tombs and had a decent night. 

 

I need to list the couple times I hit Underbog and Slave Pens.  Each time I was Main Tank.  Preamo was healer.  Nate or Golv would be off-tank/DPS.  Then we'd have a rogue and awesomeo (shadow priest) for DPS.  Yep, THREE pallies on one five man run, with a pally in two of the MAIN roles (tank and healer).  The first time we ran each place it was a learning experience for all of us.  When we ran Underbog the 2nd time, we cleared the entire thing.  It was a lot of fun.

So far I am REALLY liking the Burning Crusade.  I have still just barely touched all the content that is available.  I have completely uncovered only three of the new zones and just visited three of the instance areas (the Citadel in Hellfire peninsula, Slave pens/Underbog in the marsh, and manatombs in Terroak forrest)  There are many many more that I need to visit.  I have about half of the marsh uncovered (might have that complete tonight, then move on to some new areas).  The gear upgrades are nice and the talent/spell upgrades are really beneficial.

 

Hopefully it won't take a week to complete my next update.