Greetings everyone! Finally i have been able to come with my application, soo.. read ahead *smiles*
For any information that you wish to know more in depth, feel free to contact me in game, shouldn't be hard as i am often online.
Character name/race/classElayra Moonwhisp, Night Elf druidess devoted to protecting the Nature.
Talent build, i.e. X/X/X.Feral spec, 0/48/13
Please explain why you have chosen your talent build and what you consider to be it's strengths and weaknesses.When i first started playing a druid i had no idea of how good/bad specs were, and i just went for what was easier to level with, which was bein strong in melee.With time, and slowly levelling, i started to fall in love with the feral spec, and even more enjoyed playing a druid.The viability of the class, i managed to do all three things the game was about, tank, dps or heal.I totally enjoyed to do different things, at least before TBC, when healing as feral was good enough also in raids.I have never respecced to anything else than feral.When i did indeed use money on respeccing, it was only to optimize my feral spec, according to new patches.
In TBC it all became more easy, i got a new connection, joined a serious raid community, and started to learn more about feral raiding.I find feral spec to be a strong one in raid
because it is very adaptable. My tanking is good enough for end game bosses, and yet i can still do damage in my tanking gear, should my tanking need in a fight not be needed anymore (Example Karathress in SSC).On the other hand, i can just switch gear, and there i go, i just became a DPS class that can dish out a decent amount of dps, comparable with the average DPSer in a raid on fights where only one tank is needed.The dps in cat form it is lesser than other's pure dps classes (with equal gear level), but a feral druid dpsing offers other benefits, like innervate, combat resurrection, very good survivability (can heal myself, or even others in extreem cases, like on Archimonde where i assist healed melee classes getting Doomfire) and also a group wide crit buff.All in all our personal dps + all these other aspects together make up for our -slightly- lower personal dps.
I think feral druids do benefit raids also because for example taking three protection warriors would make things very problematic on dps race fights, yet sometimes even 4 tanks are needed.Feral druids make switching out members to suit these needs unneeded, as we can fit both roles.
Last time i respecced i have also taken Nurturing Instinct, which gives me even better survivability in raids, and around +650 healing with just my feral gear.
Besides that, we're so furry and cuddly, who wouldn't want a carebear or sweet kitten in raid for morale? :p
Would you be willing to respecc for the good of the guild and discuss your build with officers who have the proper knowledge?I love talking about my spec with other fellow ferals, and other people who know/wish to know of it, and i always try to get better and get more knowledge.About respeccing, i m afraid that even if i wanted to, it would do more bad to the raid than good.As i said i am feral in heart, and as much as i healed in preTBC things have changed now, and i have no knowledge on how to heal as resto.That even without taking in consideration that my healing gear is not on BT standards (Kara/ZA/Badge epics).A few times though, exceptional times, i was up for it, even if it didn't happen, as a -better- solution was taken (for example on Archimonde, switching out a melee class with another healer/decurser, instead of making me respec).
Comments regarding your gear setup, is there a plan behind it, i.e. more emphasis on AP than hit or is it randomly put together because it was the best you could find?I do have a strict plan behind my gear setup yes.On my tank gear i try to find an equal balance between all the tanking statistics, stamina, dodge and hit/threat.I prefer to upgrade all of them by a little amount, instead of boosting one, at the cost of gimping some other stat (which makes things problematic, as it requires to have a lot of items, which i already do anyway.I have variations for my tanking gear, even if minimal, for different kind of boss fights.).As for my DPS gear i follow a strict agility/crit setup, with hit rating being secondary (but i still have it, of course).Also here i try to upgrade everything together: AP and crit, both comes heavily from my stack of agility, which is cat's primary stat.But for gear detail it is easier to explain when inspected, and in a direct conversation too, as i cannot really link all my gear here *smiles*
My dps gear is quite good for Hyjal and BT as well, but i would still need many upgrades to be good enough for Sunwell.But i reckon i will be mostly tanking there, if i ever reach it.
To explain my tanking gear it has 2 pieces of tier6 and rest is tier5 with mixed badge/pvp items.
How many nights per week can you attend raids? (Current 25-man raid days are tuesday, thursday, sunday)I can attend all of them, and often in the evenings i am bored enough that i would join even more raids.I do not see my future changing my evening avaiability in any way.I kept a 99% attendance for more than a year now (the 1% being the occasional unavoidable errand).
Prior raid experience and raid guild / raid community.Before TBC i was in an MC raiding community, on horde side.My connection didn't allow me to play further, so i started playing on Alliance, and Elayra became my main.With her i raided MC again, ZG and AQ 20 with occasional raids as a guest.Only at TBC i got broadband, and finally my desires for raiding allowed me to dedicate myself to it.I joined Chosen raid community, which split up at SSC level, and i followed a few friends into Rising, where i raided for almost a year, clearing SSC, TK, Hyjal and 5/9 in BT. And of course all the previous pre SSC stuff.I did all 40 men raids in TBC again, at 70, but it's not the same feeling as being on the front.
Reason for leaving your prior raid guild / raid community.I have left Rising because it simply wasn't a good place for me.I have raiding in my blood, and unfortunately Rising management wasn't that of a serious enough and fun raid group.But we had problems from the very start, and i stayed, hoping things would go better, as i had friends, and stil felt it as my home.I tried with suggestions and initiatives on how to improve, but was never listeend to by the guild master, who unfortunately held all the power, which also caused stress.The guild became now very split, half are slacking and being on a more "fun-time" raiding style, not attending, while others have fun raiding more dedicated like me.My dedication was unappreciated, and i felt my raiding potential wasted.The stress on me eventually was too strong to handle, i just had to leave and try find something else, where i can fit in better.
How important is loot to you? And why?They say that on Brutallus people will be unable to join the raid strictly because not geared enough for it, so i think it is pretty important.Not because of the fun of actually having the epic loots, but because they are the tool that helps us progress.I truly smile when a boss drops something that a guild member needed so much for an upgrade, knowing that the member will be a bit more powerful, and i frown when people don't loot something that would upgrade them just because they spare DKP for more cool items.(It happened in Rising, i hated it)And of course i am equally happy when i manage to get a good upgrade, which i know will make healers work on me easier, or make me more useful in a DPS fight.
Do you agree with our policies? And our expectations of being prepared for every raid?Yes, i find your policies betetr than Rising ones, where they were just generally written, but never truly applied to everyone. I always have been, and always will be prepared for a raid, with consumables, and especially with the right mentality and knowledge of the fight.It's what a raider does.
Tell us the basic facts about yourself in real life (age, nationality, hobbies etc).I am a 22 years old boy from Italy, living on the edge of Slovenia, who loves playing WoW. My hobbies, if so could be said, are animals.I have a dog and six cats.And of course i love Warcraft lore, that's also why i wish to be on the front, fighting those evil foes with a group of friendly players. Well uhm, at the very moment i don't do much.I have dropepd out of university as i have found it unbearable for me, and am seeking for a job.Not an evening one though, as i like to have evenings free, which is good for raiding too.. er, yeah i guess raiding is my hobby
How did you hear about BotE and what are you expectations of the guild?I actually do not remember how i heard of you.It was when i have been seeking for other possible raiding groups when i would have left Rising.I believe i did on the AD forums.. yes, must have been from there indeed. After reading up, and talking with Sedana, i realized you might be just the good place for a good raiding and more mature enviorment.You are a bit behind Rising, but that's not a matter, your attitude feels way better.Being a young guild you did quite much progress, and i am eager to help you reach, and surpass my previous raiding guild's level.
I expect a friendly community where i can make more friends too, and enjoy frontline raiding together, have a lot of fun and happy screams when new bosses bite the dust ^^
Do you know anyone inside BotE who can vouch for you?I do not know many no.I spoke a bit with Sedana, she looks a really kind person.I know Gnomia though, have raided with her/him back in Chosen. I do not have the guild roster here at hand so i cannot say, but i do not think i know anybody else, no.But hey, i've read somewhere (probably in one of the other applications) strangers are just friends who you have never met yet. *agrees*
Do you feel we've missed something you want to add?I don't think you have missed anythong, no, pretty exhaustive questions.
As of myself, i truly hope i will be accepted.Ah, now i remember.Oakenar was in Rising as a friend status in the past, but we didn't speak much unfortunately.
Anyhow, thanks for reading mu application, and i will eagerly await for an answer *smiles*
A hug to everyone!
Subject: Elayra - feral druid 
Mon May 05, 2008 1:37 pm
