NotAddicted.com

isobelle · #1 10-25-2006, 05:34 AM

Two new Expansion races means a whole lot of... new... uh.... racial abilities?

Way back when the new races were revealed in WoW, people got a little over excited at the prospect of playing a new race. People jumped on the Blizzard forums and tried their hardest to 'be the one' that coined the new nickname for the races... ZOMG Belves & Dranos LOL!

They would start these threads, and try to casually weave words like 'SpaceBerry' (I'm sadly not making that one up) into every other sentence, and just made the forums a chore to read. Okay, more of a chore.

A new class would have actually been something exciting, but everyone seems to be forgetting one thing: there's not really anything new about new races except graphics, and some lame racial abilities. You're still rolling a shaman or whatever, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich tastes the same whether it comes wrapped in waxpaper or a Limited Edition 1989 Barbie 'COOL TIME' lunchpail.

So when is a mage not a mage? When it's a blood elf, and can:

Mana Tap!
Activate to drain 50 mana from your target and charge yourself with arcane energy
for 10 min. This effect stacks up to 3 times. 30 second cooldown. Scales with level.

or

Arcane Torrent!
Activate to silence all enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds. In addition, you gain
20 Energy / 12 Mana for every charge of Mana Tap currently affecting you.
Scales with level.

I don't know what to say, since my primary class (warrior) relies on hitting things with swords to make them bleed and die. But wow... 50 mana? Hot damn! Is that how much it takes to cast Frostbolt XII? I hope so! What else do we have here, 2 seconds of silence? I'll admit to not being High Warlord material, but 2 seconds sounds like just enough time for me to have tried to cast something, have it not go, and figured I just hit the wrong button. Hit it again, oh there it goes, hooray!

Call me old fashioned, but last time I checked, I could break fear and EAT DEAD PEOPLE on my undead girl. Like... kill them, then hunch over their corpse and make lip-smacking noises while I watch my health go up. I can even use it in combat and eat someone's best friend that I just killed while Intimidating Shout is keeping them frozen in terror and making them WATCH. Christ, I should get an extra 2 seconds of stun if they knew that guy IRL.

The Draenei do have a kind of sweet heal over time:

Blessing of the Naaru
Activate to heal your target for 10 + 3 * level every 3 seconds for 15 seconds.
1.5 second cast time and 3 minute cooldown.
(At level 1 it heals 65 health, and heals 1100 at level 70)

Heroic Presence
Increases chance to hit of all party members within 30 yards by 1%.

... but it doesn't save them from just looking so chumpy that I want to break their knees. I think this was the intended effect; Blizz made sure they have like 4 major joints on each leg, allowing me plenty of time to make that special moment last.

Every idle animation, and things like /sit and /kneel just make them look like ... whatever. I just want to stab them, okay?

In fact, I wish both of the new races could have been Alliance. The Horde can wait until something good comes along, we don't want Pouty Pink Night Elves prancing around Ogrimmar, it kind of defeats the whole purpose of rolling horde in the first place. The boards are flooded with people trying to hold pseudo-intellectual contrasts between the races, but their posts invariably unravel until they just boil down to:

or even better:

Wow. As unsettling as it is that they find the new toons "attractive AND smart" (?), I've read that last sentence about three or four times, and I still don't quite get it. Is Tpringa suggesting that female blood elves have large penises under their dresses, so it's okay for transexuals to play as a ... or wait...I mean...? Wait, huh?

Now, in all fairness, I need to point out what could be viewed as a glaring hypocrisy... I myself am a guy, and have a female undead warrior named 'Isobelle' (which is also used as my account here as you can see). In my defense, though, I can honestly say I've never started a topic on any forums discussing how 'cute' or 'sexy' my avatar is, and I lead guild raids over vent in my sexy "i'm the man in charge voice" (Woahwoahwoah there...! Ease down, Slim! I never said I personally wasn't sexy; just that I don't look at my avatar like that). I don't pretend my mic doesn't work, or try to hide who I am.

Anyway. If all you're looking for is a shiny new brown-bag to cover up the bottle of swill that you consume in your spare time, then by all means, roll an expansion race. At this point, I'll probably keep what I have going, and leave it up to a guildie to roll that silly paladin we're going to want to be dragging on runs with us now. Maybe he can make it a 'cute and sexy' blood elf, and we can cyber during downtime between wipes... I'll administer some serious Blessing of the Naaru, seeing as how my Heroic Presence was just bostered by some hot tauren porn I downloaded by Arcane Torrent. Watch out baby! I'm gonna (Mana) TAP THAT ASS TONIGHT, YOW!

(okay, that was just silly)

Mordiceius · #2 10-25-2006, 07:30 AM

WTB Collectors Edition Lunch Box.

colekutz · #3 10-25-2006, 07:36 AM

The lunchbox is holding many batter cakes.

WeEatDeadPeople · #4 10-25-2006, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Call me old fashioned, but last time I checked, I could break fear and EAT DEAD PEOPLE on my undead girl.

Woo I guest starred n whatnot

Runned · #5 10-25-2006, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WeEatDeadPeople

Woo I guest starred n whatnot

time to retire and live off the royalties

#6 10-25-2006, 08:49 AM

I'm gonna roll up a Belf hunter called Legolas.

First!....er....not.

#7 10-25-2006, 09:43 AM

You'd have to call him Glorfindel or Elrond ('cos Legolas is a clearly a nightelf)

(I know, I'll probably win nerd-of-the-year for this but I just couldn't resist)

#8 10-25-2006, 11:19 AM

Spaceberry? It doesn't even make any sense.

#9 10-25-2006, 01:03 PM

You know, they should build a city (with auto-PvP-enable off course) for all the Legolas wannabes, where they can kill each other for the ultimate status of biggest Legolas wannabe. They can call the city Legoland. :P

SeiferTim · #10 10-25-2006, 01:34 PM

I'm mostly looking forward to having a new place to start from, (hopefully) plenty of new quests (dunno about you, but I'm a bit tired of risking my life fending off an endless mob of Defias for those friggin grapes), and something a little bit new to look at while I level up.

And then, being able to drop a totem in the middle of Stormwind and not get attacked by everything within 20 feet is a plus.

Jynxe · #11 10-25-2006, 01:45 PM

As silly as this whole thing seems, I have to admit...I'm a bit excited to start in a new place and see some new things.

isobelle · #12 10-25-2006, 04:25 PM

The new starting areas are interesting, but it lasts about as long as it takes to leave Silverpine or whatever your race's 'Starting Zone #1' is. It just really sank in on the character creation screen that this was just a new 'skin' on old classes. With all the balancing issues, though, a new class would be just asking for trouble at this point, though, i suppose.

Past the Dark Portal is where I begin to feel a little bit like Ariel... I'll be out there again ASAP when it finally comes out. Leveling a new toon for the start area, only to eventually wind up in the Barrens again would be a crushing blow.

They *have* added new mobs and stuff around the 'old' maps, but I spent most of the time I actually played the beta past the Portal.

Five · #13 10-25-2006, 05:22 PM

Spaceberry?

Guys, why do I play this game again?

Unregistard · #14 10-25-2006, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Five

Guys, why do I play this game again?

http://www.notaddicted.com/forums/showthread.php?t=645

Duladin · #15 10-25-2006, 08:05 PM

lol, slr

Krunchy · #16 10-26-2006, 12:49 AM

Lies!

Iso, everyone who's heard you talk on vent knows you're just a husky girl.

Very, very husky. <_<

Mordiceius · #17 10-26-2006, 10:57 AM

is it wrong that i want to do possibily illegal things to every asian girl in iso's avatar?

SeiferTim · #18 10-26-2006, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mordiceius

is it wrong that i want to do possibily illegal things to every asian girl in iso's avatar?

:eek:

What is your Avatar from, anyway? I have a feeling that I've seen the exact same thing before, but I can't place where....

Mordiceius · #19 10-26-2006, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeiferTim

:eek:

What is your Avatar from, anyway? I have a feeling that I've seen the exact same thing before, but I can't place where....

It's one of the original pictures shown when they announced blood elves could be paladins. I just cropped it down.

SeiferTim · #20 10-26-2006, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mordiceius

It's one of the original pictures shown when they announced blood elves could be paladins. I just cropped it down.

I meant Iso's avatar, sorry, wasn't being specific.

Mordiceius · #21 10-26-2006, 11:59 AM

It's okay. I feel the h8.

Lesson25 · #22 10-26-2006, 05:05 PM

I honestly think you aren't granting the racials justice, chief.

First off, Mana Tap scales w/ level. (In case you were wondering, you learn Frost Bolt 1 at level 4, & it costs 25 mana.) I can't tell you how much it grants at level 60/70, but then again, you're the one w/ the Beta account, not me. Also, recall each instance Mana Tap grants additional mana/energy upon Arcane Torrent.

Next up: Arcane Torrent. This is THE MOST broke racial out there, IMHO. It CCs casters for 2 sec--essentially another War Stomp. But it also feeds mana/energy too. I will grant you that it ineffective against melee, but my main is a caster so it's not much consolation. Don't think of this as just "have tried to cast something, have it not go". Think of it as something you can throw on a healer while he as at low health to guarantee him down, or something a rogue can use to further his initial stun-lock combo another 2 sec, or an emergency CC you can bust out while you get counter-spelled, etc.

Blessing of Naaru is an awesome HoT. Sure, it's no Renew, it's no Rejuv..but, it's FREE, ALL Draenei get it, & all HoTs will stack in TBC.

The Heroic Presence, I don't really care much about. It only helps melee & again I play mostly casters. Also, as I understand it, +1% hit doesn't help much, especially in end-game--the benefit of +hit caps out fairly easily, & the stat is plentiful through gear.

What's more, you left out some other significant racials. +15 to jewelcrafting or enchanting is HUGE--as an enchanter I can tell you how difficult & costly leveling is compared to other professions, & I imagine jewelcrafting being very similar. +5 resistance TO ALL SCHOOLS? Oh em gee. I'm surprised they didn't just give +5/all to both races. ... This is starting to sound like a "nerf!" post, so I'm just going to stop here.

Krunchy · #23 10-26-2006, 07:02 PM

If memory serves, Iso's avatar is made up of girls from the Japanese pop group Morning Musume.

Runned · #24 10-26-2006, 07:05 PM

I just googled "Morning Musume" and holy christ they are the Earth, Wind, and Fire of Japanese pop, they have like 10 members!

isobelle · #25 10-26-2006, 10:37 PM

since this is sliding off topic anyway, i will indulge:

Morning Musume is indeed where the avatar comes from. They don't have ten members, it's more of a revolving door.

"pop idol groups" in japan are a huge industry, and kids here can actually 'go to school to become an idol'. these kids are groomed, taught how to sing and dance, and then released into the wild. most solo acts flop before they have a chance to actually pick up, so these certain long term groups have emerged. Morning Musume is one of them. they bring new young faces into the group, as older (more experienced) girls are launching their 'graduating from MM, ready to go solo now' careers.

from the wiki:

Japanese producer Tsunku started the group in 1997 through a female rock vocalist audition for his band Sharam Q held on the Japanese TV show "Asayan". The winner of the audition was Heike Michiyo, later to become a soloist part of Hello! Project. Soon afterwards Tsunku decided to form a girl group consisting of five of the runners-up. They were issued a challenge to sell 50,000 copies of their demo single, "Ai no Tane," within 5 days. They managed the feat in four days in a very grassroots manner, and Tsunku kept on with his mission to create one of the most famous all-girl groups, giving them dance and vocal lessons. The group is particularly well-known for its shuffled line-up, with "graduations" occurring each year ("retiring" a girl from the group), then holding auditions to fill in open slots.

imagine if like "new kids on the block" got new members, but kept the name. it's a business... sort of like they just release records under the 'MM Label', but have no unique band name... plus the memberships overlap... it's not like all ten graduate as ten more come in...

pics!

http://images.google.com/images?q=morning+musume

wiki!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_Musume

WeEatDeadPeople · #26 10-26-2006, 11:47 PM

Thanks guys. Without constant reminder of how retarted mmo players are (as per the forums) id probably sink back into its clutches.

Im serious.

smarsh · #27 10-27-2006, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mordiceius

is it wrong that i want to do possibily illegal things to every asian girl in iso's avatar?

If that's wrong, I don't wanna be right

Mordiceius · #28 10-27-2006, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smarsh

If that's wrong, I don't wanna be right

the best one is the one with the hat

#29 10-28-2006, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isobelle

pics!

http://images.google.com/images?q=morning+musume

wiki!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_Musume

You forgot vids!

My new favorite thing in the world: watching Ayaka's Surprise English Lessons on YouTube. From what I can gather: Ayaka is a cute 18+ year old fluent in English & somehow associated w/ the band, and she randomly ambushes the MM girls w/ a camera crew to give them "Surprise English Lessons". So cute!

http://youtube.com/results?search_qu...rprise+english

isobelle · #30 10-29-2006, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mordiceius

the best one is the one with the hat

right after the hat FTW

#31 11-01-2006, 02:49 AM

hell...I thought at least 4 of those were boys....

Runned · #32 11-01-2006, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guest

hell...I thought at least 4 of those were boys....

this only adds to their appeal

#33 11-19-2006, 01:53 AM

The new "dranie" are nothing but a perversion of the lod ones in an atempt to ballence the factions and give the god dam allies tauren. They drop out of space in there magic space ship? WTF????? Did elrond hubbard have a little to much booze that day? They made up a race on the spot to fill a plot hole. THEY EVEN CHANGED THE ORAGIN OF THE BURNING LEGON. They did a crappy cut and past job of the orcs and expect the players to accespt that?

The allies embrace it. Those soulless evil shadows of humans are willing to destroy the lore and pervert a proud race so this can happin,

" LOL PWNED1!1!!1!1! NUBEZOR LOL ROLF PWNED I PLAY DEMAN LOL GIVE ME MOUNT MONEY ENTER /BUBBLE HERTH LOL PWNED"

They give the allies the proud shamman and give us what? A pally................. This does not piss me off as much as the fact that THERE WILL BE NO BE WARRIORS! Yes, they scraped warriors so that the masses that want spellbreakers would not just dodge the switch and just be warriors.
TY so much blizz for doing a shitty job.

IF you think that the blood elfs are about prancing arounf ORG in pink then you need to go back and play WC3. What will suck is the noob army of allies who will come to be "Bad guys".

They nerf warriors mages and druids and buff the already overpowerd class warlocks.

-Gagnsta SEIG ZEON

Mordiceius · #34 02-28-2007, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guest

The new "dranie" are nothing but a perversion of the lod ones in an atempt to ballence the factions and give the god dam allies tauren. They drop out of space in there magic space ship? WTF????? Did elrond hubbard have a little to much booze that day? They made up a race on the spot to fill a plot hole. THEY EVEN CHANGED THE ORAGIN OF THE BURNING LEGON. They did a crappy cut and past job of the orcs and expect the players to accespt that?

I just think this needs to be called to attention.

Unregistard · #35 02-28-2007, 08:15 AM

more like Elrond Hubbahubbabhubbard amirite?

oh, and iso's avatar is Menudo, only with icky azn girls instead of hawt latin boys.

mven · #36 02-28-2007, 01:47 PM

Elrond Hubbahubbahubbard is a sexy beast. I mean like forreals.

tribute · #37 02-28-2007, 08:38 PM

I especially like the reincarnation of Elrond Hubbahubbahubbard, he's damn sexy!

#38 03-01-2007, 09:01 AM

:I don't know what to say, since my primary class (warrior) relies on hitting things with swords to make them bleed and die. But wow... 50 mana? Hot damn! Is that how much it takes to cast Frostbolt XII? I hope so! What else do we have here, 2 seconds of silence? I'll admit to not being High Warlord material, but 2 seconds sounds like just enough time for me to have tried to cast something, have it not go, and figured I just hit the wrong button. Hit it again, oh there it goes, hooray!:

An instant AOE effect cancelling heal, polymorphy, fear, whatever sucks?

Getpaid · #39 03-02-2007, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isobelle

right after the hat FTW

/agree

Over all I'd say Natsumi Abe is the hawty tawtiest -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natsumi_Abe
AND she's legal!!!

Mordiceius · #40 03-02-2007, 07:58 AM

middle row. the ones on either end IMO