Fulgshift | Restoration/Balance Druid Application

[Fulgshift]

The Basics:

Character Name: Fulgshift

Spec: Restoration / Balance Druid

Real Name: Jason

Age: 28

Armory: http://us.battle.net...shift/advanced/

UI: http://wowpandemic.c...32/original.jpg

World of Logs: http://worldoflogs.c...um/healingDone/

Who the heck am I?

I'm currently a law student in Ohio. After graduating college in 2007, I took a few years to work and feebly attempt to pay off my student loans. My jobs took me from Ohio to Iowa on a presidential campaign in 2008 and finally to Washington, DC. I met my fiance there, so altogether a pretty good deal. After working for a few years in a law firm in DC, I decided it was finally time to go to law school. Outside of school, I am a pretty prolific gamer and poker player. Ohio finally has legalized casinos and there is one about an hour away from my law school, so I try to make some extra money on the side that way. My studies have not been negatively impacted, luckily, which is why I've continued to raid this year. I've always enjoyed gaming even as far back as watching my brother play Super Mario Bros on the NES. I really enjoy the more social aspects of current MMOs, particularly when you get to know a good group of people who all enjoy the same types of games. Currently I'm playing: WoW, Path of Exile Beta, and League of Legends (struggling Gold player).

Why am I applying?

My current guild, <Resurgence>, is unfortunately dying. I was already sort of bummed out about our progression and the general atmosphere in the guild, but the holidays have killed any attempts to raid within the guild. Progression has been slow lately and many good raiders are currently looking for new homes, or have already left. In addition, the officers all seem to be on extended leaves of absence, so the future looks bleak. I am looking for a new home away from Stonemaul, since the server is now deader than dead. We're talking well beyond "mostly dead" Princess Bride territory. It's very difficult to even get a pug for Sha on Tuesdays and there is simply nothing going as far as organized groups for any other sort of content.

In addition, I am simply looking for a good group of people with whom I can game. For over 2 years, I was an officer and raid leader in <Pandemic>, alliance-side on Stonemaul. I grew very close to many of the original raiders in the guild over the course of that time. We played a great variety of games, took ourselves not-so-seriously and still achieved some great progression in Cataclysm. When I joined just after <Pandemic> had formed, the guild was struggling to clear Naxx-25 when Ulduar was released in Wrath. We slowly but surely built up a roster of dedicated players, all of which culminated in us being able to kill Sinestra before Firelands was released. The guild, unfortunately, began to break up just after Firelands was released due to general lack of interest and when Dragonsoul failed to entertain anyone...the guild disbanded until Mists. Most of the original raiders, by that time, had moved on to other games or to other servers, so we struggled with getting a 10-man group together and eventually transferred over to <Resurgence>. Simply put, I would love to experience what <Pandemic> had at its height: solid progression, a lot of fun in raids and outside of raids, and a group of people I genuinely got excited to raid with on a nightly basis. That may seem like a tall order, but I think it's essential to the health of any raid.

What is my history?

From a pure progression stand-point:

TBC: Kara through Black Temple, including an Illidan kill when it was quasi-relevant. Raided as a Holy Pally at the start of the expansion and switched to a Shadow Priest for the end. Stopped in Sunwell due to undergrad.

Wrath: Naxx-Halion, all while it was mostly current. Did not get to kill H LK when it was current, however, despite putting in many, many hours on it. (Main: Hunter)

Cata: 12/13 Tier 11 Heroic 25 before Firelands was released; 6/7 H Firelands 25 (did not kill H Rag); 1/8 H DS 25 (before the guild stopped) (Main: Hunter)

Mists: 5/16 Heroic (4/6 MSV, 1/6 HoF, 0/4 ToES), 16/16 Normal (Main: Druid)

As I stated, I was an officer and primary raid leader for over 2 years in <Pandemic>. I took a pretty aggressive stance to raid leading and prided myself on ALWAYS being prepared, paying attention to everything and anything and making sure that we were being efficient in our use of time during any raid night. All that said, I know that I am far from a perfect player. I always strive to never make the same mistakes twice. If I am told to do a job, I do it, regardless if it hurts my personal DPS/HPS. I use every ability I can to make sure that the raid has the highest chance of survial and success (recent example in progression: Symbiosis on a hunter so that I can deterrence through Ice Traps on Heroic Stone Dogs, even while the hunter themselves were not doing so). I read theorycrafting thoroughly so that I'm doing the "easy stuff" (gemming, reforging, etc) correctly. I try to make my UI as clean as possible with the most important information (buff/debuff durations, procs, major CDs) readily available so that I can pay attention to everything and still maximize my DPS. And, my years of raid leading have let me pretty much tell you what every single person in the raid is doing at any moment while still doing my job.

Why <South of Heaven>?

Synnical, who I consider to be an extremely good player and pretty level-headed guy, informed me that he recently put in an application. After reading over your website and recruitment posts, I am smitten. It seems like exactly the type of place that I am looking for. I adore that people are actually commenting on applications, for instance, with relevant questions and inquiries. I always had to pull people's hair out to help with recruitment. It just seems like a fun place that is raiding for the right reasons and still has a very high level of skill and determination. I love that you play other games together and do other things within WoW rather than just signing on for your 9-hours a week of raiding.

How do I play?

I'm currently specced Restoration, although I'd be very interested in filling your boomkin role if you do not have a need for resto druids (and lets be frank: almost every other healer can do a resto druid's job better). My gemming and reforging for Restoration generally tell the following tale: I now am comfortable enough with the content, even progression fights, to shed some spirit, so I've gone mostly to straight Int or hybrid Int/X gems. I am as close to the haste breakpoint (3,042) as possible without doing some wonky things with my gear. Every other point I've tried to push into Mastery, since it is far superior in every way to Crit or Haste above the break-point. Within the raid, I am mostly always trying to attempt the following: keep Wild Growth and Swiftmend on CD; use Tranq and other CDs (Incarnation/Nature's Vigil) as early in the fight as possible to ensure they're up again, or save for high damage moments; keep 3 stacks of Lifebloom on the current tank; use Regrowth if nothing else to do or to use Clearcasting procs. I try to never cast Nourish or Healing Touch (outside of Nature's Swiftness-Healing Touch) because they are simply inferior to glyphed Regrowth in terms of efficiency and output.

As boomkin, my gear would not change dramatically, but my stat priorities would. As boomkin, I would be aimming for a much higher haste break-point (5,273), getting hit-capped, and then putting as much into Crit as I could. My gemming and reforging would reflect this. Boomkins are exceedingly front-loaded, as their damage peaks very early in the fight when all their cooldowns are used correctly. I have found the following "order" to be good: Start fight one cast away from Lunar Eclipse. Starfall. 1 Wrath cast. Pop CDs (Berserking, Incarnation, Nature's Vigil). Starsurge/Starfire until Starfall is down, cast Starfall. Continue until at 0 Energy, cast Celestial Alignment, Starfall again, spam Starfire, re-dot towards the end of CA, all while keeping both dots up. And then go into the basic rotation of always keeping dots up, spamming Wrath, spamming Starfire, using Starsurge when it's off CD or proceed. Several fights also encourage the over-use of Solar Eclipses to maximize AoE (through mushrooms or Hurricane and spamming Sunfire).

I love DPSing and would like to go back to it, if at all possible. My gear would be a little behind from the stand-point of Tier, as I have the 4-piece Resto tier but not the boomkin tier, which is required for maximum DPS. I am always on time. I always have enough potions and flasks for whatever I'm doing (and enough for a small army to use if they needed).

I also adore leveling alts. I leveled my hunter first in Mists with the intention of playing him (he has been my main since ICC), but when our raid was in need of a healer, I leveled my druid. His armory: http://us.battle.net...smash/advanced/ Also, don't forget to link that to Synnical, as he's a little upset that I crushed him for Realm First Hunter! I also have a 90 Monk (http://us.battle.net...manchu/advanced) and am currently leveling my paladin (http://us.battle.net...Iheria/advanced). In Cata, I had one of each character at 85 and with raid finder worthy gear and I look forward to eventually getting there with Mists.

Thanks for reading my book of an application. I look forward to your questions.

[Ashin]

That's an exceptional application - well done.

I've just taken someone on trial for the moonkin slot - and he's main-changing to fill it, so it is his slot to lose at this point. That said, I'd love to try to work out an opportunity for you here. Let me think on it and circle back.

In the meantime.. what's your favorite drink, if you drink, and why? Also, please feel free to add my btag ashin#1840 - even if we cannot work something out immediately, it's always good to make a friend.

[Fulgshift]

Ashin:

Thanks! Lately, I've been drinking a lot of vodka and keeping it very simple and mixing in lemonade. I love it because it's incredible easy to make and always reminds me of summer, which is pretty relaxing during the snow storms we've been having the past week. When I can talk myself into putting in the effort, I really enjoy creating a Sazerac, or at least something similar to it.

I've added you and hope we can work something out!

[Inedit]

Hiya, Immature Tort!

Let's get into the juicy details about you.

Are you a 1L? Plans for Moot Court? Law Review? Interning? Dreams of other various publications? Extra credits for accelerated graduation?

When's the wedding? How active are you in the planning?

Texas Hold'em? Pai Gow? Omaha? High/Low Chicago? Follow the Queen?

Do you wear a disguise when you play? Sunglasses? Hats? Bandido mask? Secretly left handed? Do you hear a song in your head when you're playing? Is it Momma Said Knock You Out? You're the Best Around?

A curious point, on a scale of deadness, would you judge Princess Bride mostly dead as better or worse than Monty Python bring out your dead?

Thanks for apping!

[Hip]

Whats up Fulgly,

I think Inedit has covered most of the pertinent questions.

Only one I can she omitted was, do you consider Rounders to be a cautionary tale or field research?

Also, what part of Ohio are you in, what school?

Nice app, welcome to the forums and good luck.

[Merriwhizzle]

Hi!

[Feja]

if you do not have a need for resto druids (and lets be frank: almost every other healer can do a resto druid's job better).

IKR! It's a dam shame the game has come to that. I'm very disappointed with the state of Resto Druids, used to love having one in the group for all of Cata.

[Fulgshift]

Phew, life-story incoming!

Inedit: I'm in my second year. I have joined Law Review and Moot Court (I know...I know...). I'm actually currently taking a break from writing our brief for the national competition for Moot Court (qualified immunity, yay!). I really do hope to get published through law review and will have an opportunity this month to write a case note that will hopefully be selected. Still plan on graduating after 3 years, in May 2014. I will be externing this semester with an Ohio Appellate Judge as well. I attend Ohio Northern.

The wedding is tentatively scheduled for summer 2014, although an exact date has not been locked down since we're still just beginning the process of picking a location and finding dates that they have open. I've been pretty active with planning, although my fiance has been extreme with Pinterest and ALL THE WEDDING MAGAZINES IMAGINABLE, so I probably appear as though I've done very little. I do look forward to the whole registry thing and zapping interesting items I will have no hope of receiving to put on the registry.

As far as poker, I mostly play NL Hold'em, although I much prefer Omaha 8/B. The only problem is that the new casino rarely has it at a table. On the few trips I've taken to Atlantic City, I like to play at the Borgata and just sit there all night playing Omaha 8/B against progressively drunker individuals who really should not be playing card games they do not fully understand. Poker, though, has really taught me the importance of patience and not to over-react to every bad situation. There is still quite a bit of luck involved and even though I try to always put my money in when I know I am ahead...I will still lose anywhere from 10-40% of those hands. So, valuable life lessons. No disguises when I play, no sunglasses, no hats and only the very occasional headphones (when I'm not feeling particularly well). I like being social at the table, as it makes time go by faster and it's a good way to just "be nice" at the table. Also, Joe Esposito's timeless "You're the Best (Around)" has a VERY prominent spot on my IPod and I love to sing it to my fiance when I can.

On the scale of deadness, Westley was certainly "more dead" than the unfortunate soul in Monty Python who is hit on the head and carried off, but certainly "less dead" than the actual other dead people on the cart. Of course, Westley was only physically "dead" as he still had considerable wits about him. As far as a scale, I'd go something like:

Undead | Dead dead | Mostly dead | Sort of dead | Everyone wishes you to be dead | Living

Hip: I love Rounders and also hate it on several levels. I mean, Mikey bases his decision to put his entire roll at risk on a single table at the beginning of the film on bluffing Johnny Chan on ONE hand in Atlantic City. I have no doubt he was an excellent poker player in that universe, but any poker player worth anything will tell you that one hand tells you nothing about your ability. Obviously, the film had to do this because showing Mikey beating Johnny Chan over the course of several hundred or thousand hands would take forever, but still. It erks me. It is certainly a cautionary tale, however, to not go off the deep-end with poker. Slow and steady, like Knish, tends to work out pretty well.

[Ashin]

This thread is fascinating now.

Mundane question - how can you maintain commtiment to a fixed raiding schedule with all the life stuff you have going on?

[Fulgshift]

Ashin:

I struggled with it for a while, particularly in undergrad. I just didn't have a good grasp of how to balance things, so I gave up playing WoW completely. Now, I'm much better about separating my time out, still being somewhat social, and making sure all my work/studies are complete. That's one of the reasons I've gravitated towards later raid times like yours, as I'm usually getting home from the law library pretty late and have finished up everything I need to for the next day. And my fiance is awesome about allowing me to raid and understanding that it is more than just some nerd-obsession.

Mostly though, I just try to stay very organized. If I make a commitment to a group of people, like being able to raid, then I'm in 100%. I'm probably just making my life seem way more hectic or busy than it actually is. I managed to keep a very active raiding schedule thus far in Mists even with my second year of law school and many of these obligations without falling too far behind in anything.