Hi All,
It’s a little late in coming, but Episode #2 of the Team Waffle Podcast is now live! Check the feeds in the “Subcribe” link above or use the direct link below.
Team Waffle Podcast – Episode 2
In this episode we discuss the recent large number of Druid changes announced and mined on the PTR. We also go over basic strategies for gearing, and answer a few questions. In the cast we make mention of several different resources that you can use to aid your gearing choices.
Fasc’s Spreadsheet – Bear
Tangedyn’s Spreadsheet – Bear
Mew by Yawning – Kitty
Hamlet’s Tree Utility
Hamlet’s Boomkin Utility
Rawr (Advanced Users Only)
I hope you all find these useful.
As a public service announcement please stay the hell away from the MMO Champion forums for Feral information. It is mostly incorrect. Reesi and I recently started wading in there to try and clear it all up, but it’s slow going. For the most up-to-date information stick with the official WoW forums, and/or follow our respective blogs.
As a pre-emptive mention, we’re still working out the kinks in the audio quality. I hope this one is better.
Have a good day everyone!
Loading tweets...
36 comments
Skip to comment form ↓
Aiida
January 11, 2011 at 5:43 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Just wanted to pass on 1 little itty bitty thing about the podcast. First of all I love the podcast. Druids needed one and I’m glad to see that you guys stepped up and put one together.
My itty bitty thing. Bring the MP3 into iTunes before you post and right click and go to Get Info then go to the Options Tab and check “remember playback position”.
Laters!
Arielle
January 11, 2011 at 7:47 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Thanks for the tip!
Still trying to figure all that stuff out
Vouivre
January 11, 2011 at 7:56 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Woah! So the fear immunity was for bosses that fear? What about paladin tanks, what’s their fear break? (If they’re not real tanks, I’ll understand).
Arielle
January 11, 2011 at 9:15 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Paladins could use a Bubble + /cancelaura macro to do it in theory. I don’t play a Paladin so I couldn’t really tell you >.>
It’s not really a big deal right now since there aren’t any raid bosses with a fear, but as we mentioned, it could become a big deal in the future.
Lissanna
January 11, 2011 at 10:22 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Well, seeing as how druid tanks are losing their fear break, Paladins aren’t likely going to get one now…
Aqusinna
January 11, 2011 at 10:56 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Awsome job guys, Waffle recipe sent.
Can’t wait until next week!
Primal
January 11, 2011 at 11:59 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Excellent show, but now I’m hungry:( Keep up the great work guys.
Primal
January 11, 2011 at 12:05 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
One more thing thank you for confirming that going with 2pc for the pvp gear while tanking was a good holdover move till i get pve items for those slots. Went with the shoulders and gloves the cheaper skull bashes never hurt anyone.
Arielle
January 11, 2011 at 12:31 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Just a tidbit, the gloves are probably the last piece you should be switching out once you have access to the epic rep gloves.
Helm & Shoulders is the ideal 2 piece from what I can tell at the moment.
Primal
January 11, 2011 at 12:48 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Thanks for the note I’m almost exalted with wildhammer and I’ll probably end up with the JP shoulders about the same time. maybe this will at least teach me patience in the future and not just grab the 2 cheapest items >.<
Kraatshniff
January 12, 2011 at 12:41 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I’m just leveling my druid tank now and I find this very helpful, so thanks.
I was hoping you’d talk about racials while shapsifted because I saw that tauren can now warstomp while shapshifted = unfair(I’m a troll druid) and I didn’t know if it was true.
Arielle
January 12, 2011 at 7:59 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
That will be in 4.0.6, yes. We forgot about that one >.>
Corgren
January 12, 2011 at 2:20 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Breathing in the mic needs to be nipped in the bud. I know somebody had a cold, but mouth-breathing doesn’t need to include mic-breathing. I just wanted to put it out there – it’s a common issue in radio and they clamp down on it fast. I have a feeling most people will avoid any negative feedback because they’re desperate for druid-talk.
Arielle
January 12, 2011 at 5:42 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Don’t worry, it’s not like I don’t know about it. I tried to get rid of as much as I could, but I know I missed at least some. These sorts of things really help me identify what I need to do to improve the quality of the audio, so I hope nobody is holding back because they think I’ll bite them.
Lissanna
January 12, 2011 at 8:38 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
If it was me, I muted myself as much as possible when other people were talking so that my sniffling and coughing and other cold-related symptoms wouldn’t bleed through too much.
We also don’t have professional equipment that we’re using for recording the show, because we aren’t a sponsored podcast and we’ve done like a whole 2 episodes so far. So, these kinds of quality-related issues are things that every show struggles with at the beginning and gets better at as they get more experience.
Lissanna
January 13, 2011 at 9:24 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I went back and listened to my original audacity file for a bit. I think my cheapo headset mic just isn’t going to work for the show, and is causing a lot of the sound quality problems from my end. I ordered something else (a Sennheiser PC36) that will probably work better that should arrive before the next show! My only concern is that it’s a USB headset, so I’m not sure how well it will actually work, since I’ve never used USB headsets before…
Meeble
January 14, 2011 at 4:37 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I think you can get standalone versions of the screens they use in professional recordings- the little discs of foam that go between the performers’ face and the microphone. The function of those is to stop breath sound on the microphone.
Perhaps you can find those inexpensively, and that would make the sound editting a lot easier and will certainly improve the audio quality =)
Anyway, really enjoyed both episodes so far, and look forward to more bear and cat related stuff (and miscellaneous rambling) o/
Lissanna
January 14, 2011 at 6:55 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I’m not sure those work when the microphone is attached to your headphones…
Meeble
January 14, 2011 at 12:49 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
You would need a long microphone boom, or a retractable face. Are you telling me you have neither?!
There’s just no helping some people.
Lissanna
January 14, 2011 at 12:58 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Sorry Meeble. The best I could do is to get a new mic/headset so that it will cut down on some of the background noise. And, since my cold is basically over, I won’t be sniffling into the mic and should be able to better breathe through my nose like normal people, lol. Maybe at some point, I’ll be able to set up a better recording space, but you get what you get for now. Thanks for the advice, tho!
Aramae
January 13, 2011 at 5:37 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Lovin’ the podcast guys. some great info for beginners as well as good theory discussion. Love the laid-back non-elitist nature of the podcast also, makes it much easier to listen to
Quick suggestion – it sounds like your using Ventrillo to do the podcast, but i would strongly reccomend looking at Mumble. It has much higher quality audio, takes very little setup, and can even be hosted by one of you locally.
My friends and I use this alot during raids/general wow and its great. very low memory footprint and by far the clearest audio. It has inbuilt recording that i believe records each individual stream that you can just import into Audacity
Here is a link to the project page – http://mumble.sourceforge.net/
contact me on email if you need assistance setting it up
Lissanna
January 13, 2011 at 9:05 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
We’ve been using Skype for the podcast (which is what a lot of podcast people use). We’re also recording each of our streams separately in Audacity directly on our computer (which can be then combined into 1 file).
Reesi
January 13, 2011 at 10:44 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
It’s also our non-professional equipment. I’m using a cheap-ass $15 headset that has exposed wiring (the chair ate it one too many times). Just purchased another that will hopefully sound a lot better and be more clear.
Lissanna
January 13, 2011 at 2:05 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Yes, our headphones/microphones all… suck really bad, lol.
Arielle
January 13, 2011 at 3:39 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Mine’s not cheap
Also, the Skype recording isn’t actually used for the show anymore, it’s just used for us to talk to each other while we record each individual input.
It’s then up to me to weave the inputs together to make the cast. What would really help is if someone could do the audio work for me >.>
Lissanna
January 13, 2011 at 8:06 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Hence why I agreed to be on the show only if I didn’t have to do the audio work, lol.
Merloki
January 13, 2011 at 2:25 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I have so many cool things to say about you guys. I feel like getting advice from Tyrande or Malfurion himself. I agree about the audio quality needs a bit of an upgrade but i think the show is great. Maybe think about a YouTube pod cast too, not sure you guys could meet up some place but it would be cool. Or maybe setup a druid only run and record it with some comentary could be some great laughs on that. Hope you guys continue to grow the show, good luck, I’ll be listening.
Merloki @ icecrown
Lonan
January 15, 2011 at 5:00 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I’ve seen a lot of conflicting feral tank gemming methods, and I’m wondering if it varies depending on gear level. I’ve been peeking at feral tanks in top world guilds, and nearly all of them are going for stam gems. Obviously, they have much better gear than I do currently, but would that so drastically effect gemming? I know Lissanna’s blog says to go for AGI, but I’m curious what Reesi has to say about the AGI vs STAM debate.
I just went into Blackwing Desent with my guild this week, and felt extra squishy compared to our other tanks. I’ve been reading and researching as much as I can to improve, but I’ve only found differing opinions. I’m hoping you all have at least some answers that will help.
Arielle
January 15, 2011 at 5:28 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Well Reesi has developed a fairly simple way to determine that:
Are you dying to something that is unavoidable when your healers are not OOM?
If yes, then get some more Stamina (I’d favour trinkets/flask first over gems). If no, then stick with Agility.
Additionally you may need to re-work your strategy for the encounter. If are 1 tanking Magmaw and your healers just cannot keep you up, consider using 2 tanks.
As for the top guilds, they are pushing content they aren’t exactly geared for, and thus need as big of a HP buffer as they can afford to get. If you have the appropriate level of gear raid-wide (346+ for normals, 359+ for heroics) then you should be fine outside of some gimmick fights like Nef Heroic.
Lonan
January 15, 2011 at 11:52 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
As far as I’m aware, I’m dying to boss melee when the healers are not OOM. I’m not standing in fire, not hitting a boss any more than necessary with shields up, interrupts are going out almost regularly, and not tanking the boss with my back to it (We’ve been working on Omnitron). It may be a matter of just not getting enough heals, but I just feel like I’m doing something wrong compared to our warrior or death knight tanks because I seem to die so easily.
I’ll try switching to more stamina instead and see if that helps, thanks for the suggestions.
Lissanna
January 16, 2011 at 7:08 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
If the problem is that healers are running OOM, then stacking stamina over agility is just going to drain their mana faster. Agility would reduce the amount of damage you are taking, and thus act to reduce the amount of healing needed to be done, whereas stamina just sponges up healer mana even more.
Lonan
January 16, 2011 at 2:39 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Haha, of course. Is there a way to tell from a World of Logs entry if healers are running OOM? I was comparing my damage taken to the other tanks, and overall I appear to be taking a lot less damage, which is confusing because I usually die first when we start wiping.
There are so many things that affect gemming! Thank you all for the specific input about when to gem what. It’s appreciated.
Meeble
January 18, 2011 at 7:22 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I have gone fully for avoidance with only a few concessions to stamina for now. I have a few pieces of stamina whoring gear I can put in of which I continuously remind my healers, but no one ever requests I wear them ^^
I tank across from some people who are still in an effective health mindset and they are an awful lot harder to heal than I am. Upon discussions with my healers I find that I’m getting left on 40-50% hp for longer simply because “Oh, Meeble will live that long, OMG SPAM HEAL *name*”
I would reccomend you have a chat with your healers about it- if you are going below 50% in a single hit you obviously need more stamina, but it may just be that your healers are so distracted by the other tanks constantly needing their largest heals that you are getting left going without.
Lonan
January 19, 2011 at 11:24 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
@Meeble Thank you for the suggestion to talk with my healers. I will do that. You’re right, they’re the best to give feedback about whether I’m difficult to heal or not.
I tried to look you up on armory to see what sort of gear/gem setup you have, but I guess your tank’s name isn’t Meeble. ^^;
Meeble
January 20, 2011 at 12:54 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Oh, but my tank’s name is Meeble
http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/character/dunemaul/meeble/advanced
Thar be an Englishman on your wafflecast!
I may have gone slightly too far for avoidance, but I keep reminding everyone that I have stamina gear to put on for another 10k ish bear hp, and I’ve had no requests yet…
Meeble
January 20, 2011 at 11:26 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
If you are looking at my setup though, you should be aware that polished gems (agi/dodge) just don’t exist on my server which is why I have two 40 dodge gems in my gear… Given the chance I would trade them out for the better stats :>