Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street Leaving Blizzard Entertainment

Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street announced on his Facebook page today that he will be leaving Blizzard Entertainment to pursue a "great opportunity for something new and exciting."

Ghostcrawler was hired by Blizzard Entertainment in February 2008, and was the lead systems designer for World of Warcraft.

Months Behind Dot Com...

Hello blogosphere!

I had the opportunity to read a borrowed copy of the Christie Golden novel based on the World of Warcraft during some downtime at work- so of course my immediate thought was too do a book review... many months after most of you have already read the book.

For those that haven't already read The Shattering, be warned: potential spoilers ahead!

Christie Golden's World of Warcraft novel: The Shattering, contains accounts of the events leading up to the devastating Cataclysm that ravaged Azeroth- as detailed in the third expansion to the wildly popular online MMO.The story follows two (occasionally intertwined) story arcs representing the two factions of the g

ame world- the Alliance and the Horde. The Alliance story follows Anduin Wrynn, Prince and heir to the throne of Stormwind, as he matures into a young leader among his people and the Alliance, and discovers his own affinity for the Light. The Horde story arc features Thrall, Warchief of the Horde, as he struggles with understanding the mysterious elemental disturbances occurring across Azeroth while trying to balance his role as the leader of his people during the time immediately following the war for Northrend. Within the Horde arc is the plight and uncertainty of Baine Bloodhoof as he struggles to reclaim his homeland after the death of his father and subsequent coup by the scheming leader of the Grimtotem Tauren, Magatha.

The book is very effective at intertwining all of these stories with the natural disasters occurring with increased frequency throughout Azeroth. My favorite story arc of the book was the journey of young Anduin Wrynn, and oft unutilized character in the game, as he transitioned from childhood to adulthood

Overall the story was engaging and entertaining. As a fan of the game, the book didn’t necessarily provide much information that I didn’t already know, but it did give insights into some of the logic behind the scenes and some additional story lines for some underused characters, like Anduin. For example, the highly contentious decision to promote Garrosh to warchief comes across as actually a very difficult decision for Thrall- that doesn’t appear to be the case in the game, which jumps straight from a Thrall-lead horde to the rule of Garrosh.

"If anything about this seems natural to you: congratulations, you're a weirdo."

The novel does have some room for improvement from a fan’s perspective. If you have read any other reviews of the novel, you’ll note MANY fans bemoaning the rushed/forced romance between Thrall and Aggra- and I am of the same opinion. The love story felt out of place and so obviously manufactured that it detracted from the important storyline of Thrall returning to his shamanistic roots.

Overall I enjoyed the story, it was my first attempt at reading a Warcraft novel, and definitely exceeded my (admittedly low) expectations. Casual fans will enjoy a look into the political background of their favorite factions, while dedicated fans will enjoy the story leading up to the elemental invasion of Azeroth. I look forward to exploring more of the books from the Warcraft series, and advise any fan of the game to do the same!

+|+|+|+

Paladin-Bias

Thoughts on Cataclysm

Hello!

So, I'm sure by now pretty much anyone reading this played the newest World of Warcraft expansion, Cataclysm and drawn your own conclusions about it. Or if you haven't played it then you may have no interest in my opinions of the game.

But regardless whichever category you fall under- read this post anyway, I have a family to feed!

First Impressions-

When I first booted up the game, it was after a long (re:16 hour) workday, and I knew I had maybe an hour tops to play before bed. I threw in the installation disc, grabbed some chow, and sat down expecting to watch a loading bar. Thankfully however the game was ready to play

quickly and I was off to the races.

Prior to the expansion I had done zero research regarding leveling, or strategies for traversing the new content, so I was a little overwhelmed at first. I headed to Mount Hyjal and started questing through the typical "kill 10 boars" or "loot 5 orbs of evil" quests. I was disheartened to see a realm first level 85 achievement pop up on the first night, and was annoyed that people were hitting level cap in less than one day, a drastic change compared to WOTLK.

Overall however, I found myself sucked into the questing, the new zone, and the new achievements and ended the night craving much more.

Hindsight-

I played through Hyjal, Deepholm, Vash'ir, and Uldum over the next few days and got a good idea of the game-play of the expansion. While there were some really awesome quest lines, I think the majority were far too familiar, predictable, and underwhelming. For example, the end of the Hyjal quests involved defeated Ragnaros with some legends from WoW lore, (amazing concept right?) but it ended up being a drawn out fight involving too much repetition (heal the guy, dodge the fire, kill the adds, repeat) to be fun.

In addition, it seems like the developers heard all the positive reaction to their cut sequences (Wrathgate) from the fans and decided that they needed to strike the iron while it was hot. So expect A LOT more cut scenes in Cata. And this is by no means a good thing. The Wrathgate sequence was a triumph of visual and emotional imagery which provided not only entertainment, but emotional appeal. When Bolvar calls out to Arthas, you hear the passion in his tone, and to see him fall to apparent betrayal by the Forsaken really sparks a variety of emotions in the player.

The Cata cut sequences by comparison are boring, unnecessary, and extremely random. It seems kind of like the development team ended up with some extra budget while designing Uldum and decided every other zone needed a cut-scene.

There is one cut scene where you literally ride about 50 yards on a caravan while some guy in a funny hat talks about something irrelevant to anything that matters in the game.

I found myself literally annoyed by these cut scenes at several times, because they took me out of the game, which was Blizzard's argument originally as to why there weren't more cut scenes to begin with!

Closing Thoughts-

Aside from the frustrating an pointless cut scenes, if I had to give my overall opinion of Cata, I would say everything seems too formulaic. Don't mistake me for an elitist when I say that, I realize that they have something that works, so obviously there will be redundancies. But it just seems like everything is just a re-skinned regurgitation from the past. New, expensive crafting pets and mounts to create- check; new, rare drop mounts and pets to farm- check; new factions to farm rep for, check. This may just be me being cynical as a completionist, but it feels too much like I've already beaten this game before...

Anyway, overall I know I'm going to be wasting more time than I should playing the expansion, so i can't hate on it too much. It looks better than ever, some of the quests are downright epic and/or hilarious, they added a ton of new places to explore, they added new things to farm, and the guild achievements and perks are amazing and really add extra unity to guilds. Overall Cataclysm has some brown spots, but this is one piece of fruit still worth eating.

The Exciting Conclusion to the Most Annoying Ability in WoW Tournament!

Hello friends! It has been an exhilarating journey over the past few weeks examining all of the most annoying abilities in the World of Warcraft. I have covered every class in the game and decided the most annoying ability for each class.

With the release of Cataclysm looming, and new talents and abilities already live, it's time to wrap up this tournament. Apologies in advance for the length of this post, I'm going to grind out the entire final bracket and declare a winner!

Retrospect

To recap, the preliminary rounds featured some fierce competition for the right to be named the most annoying ability for each class. Death Grip edged out Chains of Ice to represent the Death Knight class. Typhoon blew away the competition and swirled into the final bracket as the Druid's most annoying ability. Scatter Shot hit the mark and earned the right to represent Hunters. Fear battled its way past Shadowfury to claim the title of most annoying Warlock ability. Ice Block easily slid into the final round for the Mage class. Divine Shield was favored by the Light in the Paladin bracket and advanced easily. Mind Control dominated the Priest bracket in a surprising outcome. Sap easily earned the spot for the Rogue class. Thunderstorm lit up the Shaman bracket, earning a spot in the final round. And lastly, Bladestorm demolished the competition to earn the chance to represent the Warrior class.

Mortal... Conflict! (Round One!)

The final bracket for the most annoying ability in WoW has some truly unique match-ups.

First, the DK ability Death Grip versus the Warlock ability Fear. We can all remember a time when we have been feared into a wall and gotten stuck, or were hovering innocently and out of nowhere a DK rips you to the ground. While Fear's place in this tournament is well-deserved, it ran into a difficult first round draw against Death Grip. Death Grip proves the more annoying ability and advances to round two.

The Shaman ability Thunderstorm squares off against the defensive cornerstone of the Mage class, Ice Block. Ice Block is a truly annoying ability when used in the right situation, but being blown off of the world by Thunderstorm is just too annoying to pass up in this first round, so Thunderstorm advances.

Thanks to lucky draws (and a desire to have a clean looking bracket), the Warrior ability Bladestorm and the Priest ability Mind Control advance to the Third round with byes.

Next, the Hunter ability Scattershot, while an annoying ability when dazed repeatedly on the battlefield, is easily defeated in the first round by Typhoon, the Druid knock-back attack. (If by now you haven't noticed... I hate Typhoon and Thunderstorm!)

In the last match of the first round, the perennially annoying ability Sap faces off against possibly the most polarizing ability in the game, Divine Shield. While Sap deserves honorable mention for the level of annoyance it provides, it drew a tough first round opponent, and unfortunately will not advance. Divine Shield advances!

Mortal... Conflict! (Round Two!)

The second round pits Death Grip against Thunderstorm. While hopefully by now my hatred of Thunderstorm is palpable... I cannot in good conscience allow Death Grip to fall this early in the tournament, it is simply too annoying. Death Grip advances to round three!

In a similar match-up, Divine Shield faces off against Typhoon. While Typhoon is a truly annoying ability, the hatred of Divine Shield by the majority of the gaming community is too much to deny. Divine Shield advances to round three!

Mortal... Conflict! (Round Three!)

The third round pits Death Grip against Bladestorm. While Bladestorm is an annoying ability, hated by the scores of players caught in its path... Death Grip easily advances to the final round based on the level of annoyance it offers.

The second match in the third round is between Mind Control and Divine Shield. Mind Control can be a very annoying ability, however it is very situational, and can be difficult to cast... So Divine Shield bubble hearths past it and into the final round.

Mortal... Conflict! (FINAL ROUND!)

And so it comes to this. After weeks of narrowing down all of the abilities in the game, we have two remaining vying for the title of the most annoying ability in WoW, Divine Shield and Death Grip.

This is honestly a difficult decision to make. Arguments can be made for both abilities, but in the end only one can be declared a winner. In this case I'm forced to go against my better judgements, and ultimately against the Light. In the most recent patch this ability received a huge nerf, so clearly the annoyance of the ability was too much. For its role as a life saver in the most one-sided scenarios, an escape method against overwhelming odds, and its place as one of the longest running jokes in one... Divine Shield overcomes Death Grip to be named The Most Annoying Ability in the World of Warcraft!

Thanks to anyone who followed this tournament from the beginning. I apologize for rushing the format, but as I stated with the expansion looming, the time was right to wrap things up.

+|+|+|+
Paladin-Bias

The Most Annoying Abilities in WoW- March Madness Style: Part 5!

Well guys, new content and new abilities are upon us, so it is time to start wrapping up this tournament. Today I will discuss the five remaining classes and determine the most annoying abilities of each. We're about to spend entirely too much time discussing the annoying qualities of Paladins, Warlocks, Rogues, Death Knights, and Druids... so get comfortable, this is going to be a long one.

Because we have so much to cover, the format will be a little more condensed, so enjoy!

WARLOCK!

The first class we'll take a look at today will be the demonic caster class, Warlock. Warlocks have been a staple in RPG games for a long time. Commanding the shadows and undead or demon minions, Warlocks strike fear into their opponents with their dark abilities.

One of the key abilities of the class are their many different Fear attacks they can use to make an enemy flee, allowing them with plenty of time to apply numerous damage over time abilities. In addition Warlock's have a powerful ability to siphon life from an enemy. Shadowfury is a newer Warlock ability that allows them to AOE stun enemies. And Demonic Circle allows the class to teleport out of harm's way in the heat of battle.

While Warlock's have many annoying abilities, their Fear abilities are easily the most annoying because of their seemingly endless duration combined with the capacity to chain cast them. So without much of a contest, Fear advances as the most annoying Warlock ability.

DRUID!

The Druid class is one of the most versatile in the World of Warcraft, filling the roles of DPS, healer, or tank. Arguably Druids can be considered some of the best in the game at their roles, which has led to dissension from pure classes that believe hybrid classes like Druids should be slightly less effective at these roles to compensate for the additional skill sets.

As a class with three distinct roles there were many annoying abilities to choose from. But for today the competition is between the CC ability Cyclone, the knock back Typhoon, the CC ability Entangling Roots, and as a generic term covering several unique abilities we will consider Druid HoTs.

While HoTs are arguably one of the most overpowered mechanics in the game (resulting in resto-druid supremacy on numerous occasions) the title of most annoying ability grudgingly has to go to Typhoon. Getting blown across the map and taking a fall damage death one too many times is enough for me to move Typhoon into the final round.

DEATH KNIGHT!

Death Knights are the newcomers on the playground of WoW classes, being introduced in the WoTLK expansion. Death Knights are a plate armor class that utilizes dark abilities to negate magical damage done while filling the role of a tank, or to harness minions to fight alongside them as DPS.

DKs are known for having several annoying abilities, the four I chose for this bracket are the AoE slow Desecration, Chains of Ice, Death Grip, and the defensive ability Anti-Magic Zone. Honorable mention has to go to Army of the Dead, which was tough to leave off the list. However, the ghouls summoned by that spell are so weak I ultimately decided to pass on it.

In a landslide victory Death Grip is easily the most annoying Death Knight ability. Nothing is as frustrating as riding across a zone peacefully, or carrying that flag to your base- getting a few steps away from capturing it... and being yanked back across the map by a lagging DK. The ability is pure annoyance.

ROGUE!

Where to start. Rogues are easily one of the most annoying classes in this game. A stealthy assassin, rogues employ poisons, dirty fighting tactics, and lighting-fast attacks to undermine opponents and gain the upper-hand.

While Rogues have many annoying abilities, this bracket will focus on the defensive Cloak of Shadows, the CC ability Sap, Blind, and the escape ability Vanish.

As I said before, while rogues have MANY annoying abilities, this competition is awarding the title of most annoying Rogue ability to Sap, because we have all been in that situation where we're minding our own business and a rogue starts chain stunning us in the middle of our own city just to be a prick. Combine that with their stealth to remain unseen and you can easily waste several minutes in frustration because of this one ability.

PALADIN!

Appropriately enough for a blog called Paladin-Bias, we'll conclude the preliminary brackets by looking at the Paladin class. A holy warrior that uses the power of the Light to destroy his foes, and battle the dark forces.

The most annoying abilities for the class are the instant cast, massive heal Lay on Hands, the infamous bubble- Divine Shield, the stun Hammer of Justice, and the CC ability repentance.

In another landslide Divine Shield advances because it is easily one of the most hated abilities in the game by some players, so its choice as the most annoying Paladin ability was all but assured (although LoH has made some in-roads in the past).

After the fifth and final group of preliminary rounds the final tournament bracket has finally shaped up. There looks to be some stiff competition with perennial annoying abilities like Fear and Death Grip facing off.

Do you agree with my assessments? Hate my picks for the classes? Think I'm completely off the mark? Let me know in the comments what abilities didn't get enough love, or which got too much. And check out the previous entries in the competition to see how biased I can be!

And stay tuned for the introduction of the final rounds of the tournament to determine the most annoying ability in WoW.

It's Official!

Today Blizzard announced the official release date for the newest expansion to their immensely popular MMORPG The World of Warcraft. WoW: Cataclysm will officially be hitting the shelves on December 7th!

The third expansion in the World of Warcraft, Cataclysm introduces two new playable races to the game, the worgen and the goblins. The expansion will also introduce an increased level cap, new dungeons, the ability to fly in old Azeroth, and a completely redesigned game world.

The content of the expansion will be focused on the sundering of the land caused by the return of the malevolent dragon Deathwing.

The Most Annoying Abilities in WoW- March Madness Style: Part 4!

After a brief break, the MAAWoW tournament has returned with its fourth installment!

For those of you that aren't up to date, this is a tournament pitting the most annoying abilities in Warcraft against each other for the title of The Most Annoying Ability in WoW. We are currently in the preliminary rounds, determining which ability will represent each class in the final bracket. So far the results of the previous rounds:

Previously we explored some of the most annoying abilities of the Mage class and determined that Ice Block was the most annoying ability. Today we're going to break from tradition and take a look at two classes, the Shaman and Hunter classes.

HUNTER!

Hunters are a versatile class that has many unique abilities. They can tame mighty beasts to fight alongside them as they pepper opponents with blasts from their blunderbuss. Or they can plant traps for overzealous enemies to become ensnared, or swarmed by venomous snakes. They pack a lot of punch into their ranged attacks, and often times you'll be on the receiving end of curb-stomp from their pet while they're lighting you up from a safe distance.

As the only class to use traps, and one of two classes to have pets- Hunters had several interesting abilities to consider for the tournament. The abilities I chose to represent the class were the abilities Scattershot, Disengage, Freezing Trap, and Feign Death. These abilities will square off for the title of the most annoying Hunter ability and ultimately the chance to be named the most annoying ability in WoW.

The first round of the Hunter bracket pit the crowd control ability Scatter Shot against the relatively new defensive ability, Disengage. Disengage was added to the Hunter's arsenal as a way to quickly put distance between a Hunter and its enemy, allowing it to execute any of its numerous and devastating ranged attacks. this ability is particularly frustrating against a class with no gap closing ability (ahem Paladin). Meanwhile, Scatter Shot causes you to lose control of your character as it staggers aimlessly for a few seconds. While the defensive capability of Disengage can be very frustrating, it is easily countered with abilities like Death Grip, in addition it can be quick humorous when a Hunter disengages off the edge of a cliff. So for the first round, Scatter Shot advances!

Next, Freezing Trap faces off against Feign Death in another battle between a defensive ability and a crowd control ability. Feign Death is unique in that it causes enemy players to drop the Hunter as a target and switch to the Hunter's pet. This can buy the Hunter precious time in a close fight. Meanwhile, Freezing Trap is the essential CC ability for the class, freezing an enemy into a solid block of ice. While Feign Death may cause some momentary confusion for some opponents, most people are well aware of this little trick, rendering it pretty useless in serious PvP environments. So Frost Trap moves on to the second round.

The final round for the Hunter bracket comes down to Freezing Trap vs. Scatter Shot. Two CC abilities, which can frustrate opponents if their trinkets are on cooldown at an inopportune time. While both have their merits for being the most annoying Hunter ability, this one is cut and dry for me. I despise any ability that removes control of my character and makes him wander around like an idiot. So the winner, in a first-round knockout, Scatter Shot!

SHAMAN!

One of the most unique classes in Warcraft, the spiritualistic Shamans (notoriously) were originally a Horde exclusive class, and the counterpart to the Paladin class. Historically they have frustrated opponents with their healing ability, their totems, and their ability to self-rez in the middle of battle.

For the title of most annoying Shaman ability we're going to focus on some classic Shaman abilities, and some new ones. Earthbind Totem, Hex, Thunderstorm, and Reincarnation will face off for Shaman annoyance supremacy!

First, two CC abilities clash. Earthbind Totem is an ability very similar to a Druid's Roots ability, pinning an enemy in place with vines that shoot up from the ground. Hex is akin to a Mage's Polymorph ability, transforming an opponent into a frog. Both abilities can be annoying, but Earthbind is more easily counter-able, so Hex advances.

Next, the relatively new ability Thunderstorm squares off against the classic, Reincarnate (also called Ankh in reference to the reagent required to cast the ability). Ankh was one of the most hated abilities in WoW vanilla by some players, and is even referenced in the classic WoW parody song, That's the World of Warcraft that You Play, (Shamans, you are the most overpowered class... be sure to keep reincarnation up and it will take ten Alliance just to bring you down).

While Ankh is widely considered to be very annoying when used properly, it loses a lot of luster because it isn't usable in the competitive e-sport of arenas. Meanwhile, Thunderstorm is an aoe ability that calls down a bolt of lightning to send enemies flying. This often has the very intended consequence of launches players into the Twisting Nether when they find themselves between a Shaman and any ledge (specifically in EOTS). For the annoyance of falling to your death as the Shaman emotes you, and for the repair bill from durability- Thunderstorm advances.

The final round showcases Hex and Thunderstorm. While Hex can be annoying, it is widely considered weak since the player retains control of his character and is able to flee. Meanwhile, aside from completely avoiding ledges or EOTS, Thunderstorm has no real counter... So in a surprise twist, Thunderstorm claims the title of most annoying Shaman ability!

After four preliminary rounds, the final bracket is shaping up nicely:

Do you agree with my assessments? Hate my picks for the classes? Think I'm completely off the mark? Let me know in the comments what abilities didn't get enough love, or which got too much. And check out the previous entries in the competition to see how biased I can be!

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You!

I'll just leave this here...

(Click for larger view.)

+|+|+|+
Paladin-Bias

The Most Annoying Abilities in WoW- March Madness Style: Part 3!

Hello there! Today Paladin-Bias returns to a (somewhat) normal schedule after the craziness of PAX weekend. Today I present the third installment in the ongoing tournament for the title of the most annoying ability in the World of Warcraft.

The last post featured Mind Control narrowly edging out Psychic Scream to be named the most annoying ability for the Priest class, earning it a spot in the final bracket. Today we're going to stick with another cloth wearing class, and take a look at the most annoying Mage abilities.

MAGE!

Mages are the prototypical caster in the Warcraft universe. With their ability to wield the powers of arcane, fire, and frost mages are well adapted for unleashing a barrage of DPS. In addition to their offensive ability, Mages are equipped with multiple buffs, invisibility, invulnerability via Ice Block, Polymorph, and the capacity to freeze an opponent in place while simultaneously teleporting away. Their numerous crowd control techniques, combined with their damage output make them a frustrating foe on the field of battle.

For the Mage bracket there were A LOT of annoying abilities to choose from, so I decided to feature four abilities that are unique to the Mage class. Ice Block, Polymorph, Spell Steal, and Mirror Image will be facing off for the title of the most annoying Mage ability and ultimately the chance to be named the most annoying ability in WoW.

The first round of the Mage bracket features Ice Block against Mirror Image. Mirror Image allows a Mage to make clones of itself in the attempt to confuse an enemy, while providing extra damage. The idea is great on paper, but it rarely, if ever, confuses any opponent and the DPS output of the images is weak. On the flip side, we have the Ice Block ability which provides a Mage with complete invulnerability while they surround themselves in a giant ice cube. The frustration of watching a Mage "chill" inside of their fortress of solitude while reinforcements arrive is an extremely annoying sight, and enough to move Ice Block into the second round of the Mage bracket.

Next we have Spell Steal facing off against Polymorph. Spell Steal grants the Mage the power to literally steal a buff from an opponent. This can be extremely frustrating when using a powerful ability like Avenging Wrath. And Polymorph is the familiar CC ability of the Mage class, granting them the ability to turn opponents into one of several animals while they line up a powerful attack. Granted, Polymorph can be very frustrating when you're getting chain-sheeped, however, the ability breaks with any damage and can be dispelled. So for this first round the win has to go to Spell Steal, for its uniquely annoying ability to flip the tables on any fight.

The final round pits Spell Steal up against Ice Block. The offensive capability of Spell Steal can be a game changing attack on the field of battle if used with the right timing. On the other hand, Ice Block can utterly frustrate an opponent, and it is often used in conjunction with Evocation after attacking enemies direct their attention elsewhere. So, despite its practical offensive ability, the timing required to pull it off effectively (combined with competing with the sheer frustration of Ice Block) means the title of most annoying Mage ability will not be going to Spell Steal. The winner by TKO- Ice Block.

So after the third preliminary round, this is how the final bracket is shaping up:

As the third class to enter the competition, Mages slide into the second position on the top half of the bracket.

Check back soon for more results in the tournament of the most annoying Warcraft abilities!

+|+|+|+
Paladin-Bias

The Most Annoying Abilities in WoW- March Madness Style: Part 2!

Hello there, and welcome back to bracket two of the introductory round of the battle for the title of the most annoying ability in the World of Warcraft.

The previous entry saw Bladestorm narrowly edging out Bloodthirst for the title of most annoying Warrior ability. Today we're moving to the complete opposite end of the spectrum, and taking a look at the most annoying abilities of the Priest class.

PRIEST!

A Priest has the capability of being a powerful healer and a versatile DPS, so it is quite easy to experience frustration when facing the class in pvp. Their use of damage over time, combined with their instant cast heal over time spell, renew, can prove to be too much for many opponents to handle.

For the Priest bracket, I decided to take a look at some uniquely frustrating abilities that are available exclusively to the class. Mass Dispell, Mind Control, Psychic Scream, and Mana Burn will all duke it out for the title of most annoying Priest ability and the chance to represent the class in the final bracket.

For the first round, Mass Dispell faces off against Mind Control. Playing a Paladin, my bias against Mass Dispell is palpable. I can still remember to this day the first time I experienced having my bubble stolen from me way back in The Burning Crusade, (ironically enough I was bubble hearthing). Despite my personal hatred for Mass Dispell, when it comes down to pure annoyance few things can compare to losing control of your character, only to watch it jump around like an idiot at the hands of a smug Priest. The indignity is usually short lived however, as most Priests will be kind enough to jump your character over the edge of a cliff. Hands down, Mind Control advances to the next round in a landslide.

The second bracket of the class features the AOE fear bomb Psychic Scream matching up against the bane of healers: Mana Burn. Mana Burn is a unique ability that grants Priests the ability to render nearly any mana using class impotent with a few casts. The frustration of seeing your mana bar dwindle so quickly easily proves just how annoying the skill can be. However, when compared to the instant cast AOE fear bomb, the ability just doesn't hold up on the annoyance meter. Psychic Scream is a long fear, with a fairly short cool down. I think we've all been locked in that fight with a Priest where we thought to ourselves, "What the... Psychic Scream again.. WTF.. WTB diminishing returns!?!" For the frustration factor, (and for all

the walls I've gotten stuck in) Psychic Scream advances.

The final match between MC and Psychic Scream is anything but any easy decision. Both abilities can be extremely frustrating, can throw off your momentum in a battle, and can result in a smashed keyboard. However the pure annoyance of watching control of your character slip from your fingers and into the hands of that pimply twelve year old on the other side of the screen can't be topped. Watching him gloat as he runs your character into the Twisting Nether of an EOTS match is easily one of the most annoying things in Warcraft, and the reason why Mind Control will be advancing to the finals!

So after the second preliminary round, this is how the final bracket is shaping up:

As the second class to enter the competition, Priests luck their way into the sixth position in the bracket, resulting in second and third round byes.

Check back soon for more results in the tournament of the most annoying Warcraft abilities!

+|+|+|+

Paladin-Bias

The Most Annoying Abilities in WoW- March Madness Style!

We've all been there... grinding out your ten arena matches this week, or farming battleground rep... when it happens. It takes you by storm, lighting a fire in your soul, that erupts out of your mouth in a fury of profanity. You've just been victimized by one of the many annoying abilities in WoW.

But which ability is so nerve-wracking, so wall-punching, so dog-kicking-ly annoying, as to be called the most annoying ability in the game!

Lucky for you I have begun a quest to answer that exact question. Today I introduce the format for the WoW Annoying Ability Supremacy Battle Royale!

It goes like this, each class will be given its own preliminary round to determine which of its abilities is the absolute most annoying (completely biased and based on my own frustrating PvP experiences). Each class will be given four abilities, and after careful analysis, only one will remain, which will then be moved into the overall bracket featuring the most annoying ability from each class!

For week one of the tournament, I'll introduce one of the preliminary brackets with my analysis, before adding the winning ability to the "big board."

First, we'll take a look at the hardhat hero of the Warcraft community...

WARRIOR!

For the Warrior's bracket I choice four unique abilities: Bladestorm, Mortal Strike, Shattering Throw, and Bloodthirst (for this bracket Bloodthirst will represent all HP regen abilities of the class.)

The bracket opens up with Bladestorm taking on Mortal Strike. Mortal Strike is the veteran of the two, with Bladestorm being a relative newcomer to the scene. Despite being a powerful and frustrating tool for opponents to manage, Mortal Strike lacks effectiveness against opponents that have no healers (double dps!) while Bladestorm is a highly effective and unstoppable aoe attack. So In a close fight, I have to give the edge to Bladestorm, because once that Orc starts spinning, don't expect him to stop until either you or his stomach contents hit the ground... whichever comes first.

The second bracket features the bane of Paladins and Priests- Shattering Throw, up against the Warrior's HP regeneration abilities, like Bloodthirst. As a Paladin, Shattering Throw seems like it would be an obvious choice... but based on my experiences many Warriors forget to use it, or are easily line of sighted while they're attempting to throw their puny weapons. So for the shear frustration factor of trying to down a Warrior that inexplicably keeps healing... this round goes to Bloodthirst.

For the conclusion of the Warrior bracket, Bloodthirst and Bladestorm advance to face each other for ultimate annoyance supremacy! Bloodthirst strikes first, with the longevity it adds to Warriors, allowing them to heal, when they have no business being a healing class. But sadly, this isn't even a fair fight... the arena ratings speak for themselves, the cleave comps are smashing their way to the top. So I'm giving the edge to Bladestorm, for being so damn effective despite being so effectively annoying.

The Warrior bracket had some shake ups, but Bladestorm comes out victorious and advances to the big board!

So after the first class completed their preliminary round, this is how the big board looks:

With the luck of the draw, Warriors ended up in the 5th slot, meaning they have a bye through the first two rounds. Lucky jerks!

Stay tuned for the rest of the tournament, coming soon!

+|+|+|+

Paladin-Bias