PVP noob to PVP not quite such a noob

I am terrible at PVP, always have been.  I think I am just a bit too slow to keep up with all the jumping about and what's going on, but recently, me and a friend decided to try out a bit of arena 2v2, just for something to do as it is near the end of the expansion. 

I have run a few arenas before with another good PVP friend where he basically carried me describing me as "like butter", which is definitely not a compliment when it comes to PVP :)  But I have never played for any extended time as I was so bad!  

However this time, with our unholy DK, holy paladin combo, we did ok.  We actually got a few wins and some ranking points.  We got up to 1350 and then it started to go wrong.  We'd play an evening and win a few matches and lose a few matches and end up to within 20 points of our start rating for the day. We even got up to 1399 one time before falling back down again to around 1350.  

Until...  after a little break we went for it again, and in one night soared past the Combatant achievement rating of 1400.   

We now believed we could even get a bit higher, maybe even make it to a 1600 rating.  A few days later we made it to 1550 but 1600 still felt a long way off.

But then we did it :)  Just two weeks later we achieved our goal and we got the Challenger title.

In these few weeks I also got a few other achievements, here are a couple.

Most of this honor was from Legion PVP World Quests while doing almost no actual PVP

Our next challenge is up try and get the PVP mount, Vicious White Bonesteed.  This is rewarded after winning arena matches with a rating above 1400.  So far we are at 61% but the end is looming. The PVP season ends with the prepatch for Shadowlands and that is coming on 13th October.

It has been fun, PVP Shadowlands here we come :)

BfA Pre-patch is here

The BfA pre-patch is here and has brought big changes to WOW.  There is another stat squish, Artifact Weapons have lost all their powers and there will also be some class changes to get used to and lot of little changes too.  Here are my first impressions.

I was excited about the pre-patch, having waited for a long time and having finished the Mage Tower just in time, I was ready for something new.  However, although the pre-patch brought many changes there isn't really anything to do YET!  The new quest line isn't for another week.  Maybe they wanted to give us time to get used to class changes but I was a little disappointed initially.

PVP Changes 

The changes to the honor system are quite significant.  Your honor is now account bound and prestige levels are no more.  Any prestige levels have now been replaced by honor level achievements and all levels on all characters have been combined.  For me I had not really done any PVP on any character apart from my DK so my level was roughly the same although I was only about 500 honor from reaching Prestige 18 which rewards the title '# The Unstoppable Force' and now I am honor level 90 having to get quite a bit of honor to reach level 100 which rewards that title so that's a little annoying.

Finding out your honor level I found tricky as it has moved and now shows on the group finder tab under PVP.

Another change is War Mode.  You are now able to toggle the new mode called War Mode on/off as desired.  Turning on War Mode will turn your server into a PVP server.  There will be new rewards for kills and playing with this mode turned on. War Mode can only be changed in your capital city, either Orgrimmar or Stormwind. 

Collection Achievements
There are some new collection achievements which I got straight away when I logged in including:

80 Exalted Reputations which rewards the title '# The Admired'

There is also a follow up quest for this 90 Exalted Reputations.

For collecting 400 toys there is a new achievement Toybox Tycoon which rewards the battle per Brutus.

 

There is currently no follow up quest after this for toys.

For collecting 800 unique battle pets there is an achievement Pet Emporium which rewards the battle pet Rooter.

There is also a follow up quest for collecting 1000 unique battle pets, Master of Minions, which is not possible yet but will be after the launch of BfA.

Class changes
Every Class has had some changes, talents have changed slightly and been reset.  There has also been a star squish so item level which was previously 900+ is now 200+.  Artifact weapons have lost all their power in the defeat of the legion and will now just level up with your i-level.

Communities
On the first day of the patch the new communities thing did not work but a few days later it is working fine.  There is a new UI for guilds which will take a little getting used to.  There is also a new voice chat option.  You can toggle voice chat on and off in the guild/communities tab and join groups for your guild, for any party you are in and even set up your own groups with just the click of a button, and it works really well although push to talk seemed to be having some issues initially so we all had to go open mic.


There are many other changes in prep for BfA but these are the main ones for me so far.  The new pre-patch quest chain starts next Wednesday (25th) which will be good.

...And Chew Mana Buns

I have killed many non-trivial demons on Argus.  Killing these demons has achievement rewards such as:

We came here for Two reasons - Slay 100 non-trivial demons in Krokuun, Mac'Aree and the Antoran Wastes.

To Kill Demons... - Slay 500 non-trivial demons in Krokuun, Mac'Aree and the Antoran Wastes.

and finally,
...And Chew Mana Buns - Slay 2000 non-trivial demons in Krokuun, Mac'Aree and the Antoran Wastes.

Which rewards a mount, Bleakhoof Ruinstrider.

So what are non-trivial demons?  Basically it is anything on Argus not just elites and rares but pretty much any mob.  The only ones that do not count towards these achievements are some of the small imps, but not all.  The imps around Collector's Hovel in Antoran Wastes do count.  To fulfill this achievement there are often groups you can join through the group finder or just farm it alone.  Most mobs respawn fairly quickly but really, you will get this achievement anyway just by doing world quests and other achievements on Argus so there is not need to farm it unless you want it in a rush.

Happy demon slaying!
(Just saw there is an additional achievement after ...Chew Mana Buns called And We're all Out of Mana Buns - Slay 5000 non-trivial demons in Krokuun, Mac'Aree and the Antoran Wastes.  Phew thats a lot, looks like I got some more demons to kill as this achievement rewards the title Demonslayer).

Legion PVP: Prestige Level 1-5

In Legion for PVP as you collect honor you gain levels up to level 50.  Every time you reach honor level 50 you gain one prestige level.  Currently I am Prestige level 17 honor level 15.  Each level of prestige has a reward as well as an achievement.  Here are the rewards and achievements for prestige 1 to 5.

Prestige 1 - Horde Fanatic (pet)

Once achieved on one faction you can purchase the pet for the opposite factions.  My character is horde but I also purchased Alliance Enthusiast with my alliance character.

Prestige 2 - Renowned Blades (artifact)

This unlocks the Renowned Artifact appearance.  For DK this was the Executioner (blood), Gravekeeper (frost) and Faminebearer (unholy) appearance (See upcoming post Legion PVP: Artifact Weapons).  Getting to prestige 2 actually rewards the High Warlord's Medal of Valor which starts a quest.
Q - A Royal Audience - Report to Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner in the Undercity,
"Those who do not stand with the Horde stand against it.  You, champion, have cut down such enemies in droves."
Sylvannas is in the Royal Quarter of Undercity and is pleased to meet you.

Q - The Victor's Spoils - Raise your weapon and be recognised in the Undercity,

"We will never be dominated so long as you stand at the front of our lines.  Together we will slaughter anyone who stands in our way.  You have sacrificed as much as any in the name of the horde.  I will not let your dedication go unnoticed.  face your fellow champions, Blackandblue.  Face them and be recognised."
You get an extra action button, turn and face the assembled horde elite and use the extra action button to raise your weapon.

"You have impressed me Blackandblue.  No simple feat.  Be sure you continue to do so."

Prestige 3 - Honorable Pennant (toy)

This toy is a flag you carry on your back to show you represent the horde.

"Your brave deeds bring great pride to your faction!"

Prestige 4 - Prestigious Bronze Courser (mount)

This is the first of several Prestigious Courser mounts you can collect from earning prestige levels.

"One of the bold equines of the Broken Isles, unmatched among the steeds of Azeroth in ferocity and strength."

Prestige 5 - The Honorable # (title)

This is the first of several title rewards you can achieve through the prestige system.

To be continued... Legion PVP: Prestige Level 6-10