June 19, 2011

Midsummer Fire Festival 2011

A fiery halo! That makes the whole festival worth it, in my book.

There hasn’t been a post on this blog for a while now. I will apologise for the break – I’ve been powerlevelling a holy paladin for my guild and after some drama we’re back into raiding, so time has been shorter lately. The good news is that the paladin is 85 & gearing up, and we’re 7/12 in three weeks!

So the sun is out, the shops are full of summer goods and I’m drinking way too much lemonade. More importantly, the Midsummer Fire Festival is starting on 21st June and I’m getting fired up for the bonfire bonanza! In case it’ll help you get one meta closer to What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been, here’s my guide. I’ll be updating everything as I do it, although I’m going to Glastonbury this year so I’ll have to work super hard to complete this when I get back!

Achievements needed for the meta:

[Burning Blossoms needed for achievements: 405-435 (see below)]

The Fires of Azeroth and Desecration of the Alliance/Horde

Update: I used the 2011 Wowhead guide co-ordinates to get me started, so the location credit goes to them. However, ~6 were wrong where updates are still being made to their data, so these co-ordinates are ones I've visited and double-checked myself! My route is from an Alliance perspective so may not be as convenient for Horde players - sorry!

Eastern Kingdoms:

Zone
A/H/N
Location
Co-ordinates
The Cape of Stranglethorn
A
East of Booty Bay
51, 67
The Cape of Stranglethorn
H
East of Booty Bay
50, 70
Northern Stranglethorn
A
Fort Livingston
51, 63
Northern Stranglethorn
H
Grom’gol Base Camp
40, 51
Westfall
A
Moonbrook
45, 62
Duskwood
A
Darkshire
73, 55
Blasted Lands
A
Nethergarde Keep
55, 15
Blasted Lands
H
Dreadmaul Hold
46, 14
Swamp of Sorrows
A
Bogpaddle
70, 14
Swamp of Sorrows
H
Bogpaddle
76, 14
Redridge Mountains
A
Lakeshire
24, 53
Burning Steppes
A
Morgan’s Vigil
68, 60
Burning Steppes
H
Flame Crest
51, 29
Badlands
A
Dragon’s Mouth
19, 56
Badlands
H
New Kargath
24, 37
Loch Modan
A
Thelsamar
32, 40
Dun Morogh
A
Kharanos
54, 45
Wetlands
A
Menethil Harbor
13, 47
Twilight Highlands
A
Thundermar
47, 28
Twilight Highlands
H
Bloodgulch
53, 46
Arathi Highlands
A
Refuge Pointe
44, 46
Arathi Highlands
H
Hammerfall
69, 42
Hinterlands
H
Revantusk Village
76, 74
Hinterlands
A
Aerie Peak
14, 50
Hillsbrad Foothills
H
Tarren Mill
55, 50
The Sepulcher
H
Silverpine Forest
50, 39
Tirisfal Glades
H
The Undercity
68, 9
Tirisfal Glades
H
Brill
57, 52
Western Plaguelands
A
Chillwind Camp
43, 82
Ghostlands
H
Tranquilien
46, 26
Eversong Woods
H
North Sanctum
46, 50
Eversong Woods
H
Silvermoon City (Court of the Sun)
70, 43

Kalimdor:

Zone
A/H/N
Location
Co-ordinates
Bloodmyst Isle
A
Blood Watch
55, 69
Azuremyst Isle
A
Azure Watch
44, 53
Teldrassil
A
Dolanaar
55, 53
Darkshore
A
Lor’danel
49, 23
Winterspring
A
Everlook
61, 47
Winterspring
H
Everlook
58, 47
Mount Hyjal
N
Nordrassil
63, 23
Azshara
H
Bilgewater Harbor
60, 53
Durotar
H
Orgrimmar (Valley of Wisdom)
47, 38
Durotar
H
Razor Hill
52, 47
Northern Barrens
H
The Crossroads
50, 55
Ashenvale
H
Silverwind Refuge
51, 66
Ashenvale
A
Forest Song
87, 42
Stonetalon Mountains
A
Mirkfallon Lake
49, 51
Stonetalon Mountains
H
Sun Rock Retreat
53, 62
Desolace
A
Nijel’s Point
65, 17
Desolace
H
Shadowprey Village
26, 76
Mulgore
H
Thunder Bluff (Spirit Rise)
21, 26
Mulgore
H
Bloodhoof Village
52, 59
Feralas
H
Camp Mojache
72, 47
Feralas
A
Feathermoon Stronghold
47, 44
Southern Barrens
A
Fort Triumph
48, 72
Southern Barrens
H
Desolation Hold
41, 68
Dustwallow Marsh
H
Brackenwell Village
33, 30
Dustwallow Marsh
A
Theramore Isle
62, 40
Tanaris
A
Gadgetzan
52, 29
Tanaris
H
Gadgetzan
49, 27
Un’Goro Crater
A
Marshal’s Stand
60, 63
Un’Goro Crater
H
Marshal’s Stand
56, 66
Silithus
A
Cenarion Hold
60, 33
Silithus
H
Cenarion Hold
51, 41


Outland:

Zone
A/H/N
Location
Co-ordinates
Hellfire Peninsula
H
Thrallmar
57, 41
Hellfire Peninsula
A
Honor Hold
62, 58
Shadowmoon Valley
A
Wildhammer Stronghold
40, 55
Shadowmoon Valley
H
Shadowmoon Village
33, 30
Terokkar Forest
A
Allerian Stronghold
55, 55
Terokkar Forest
H
Stonebreaker Hold
52, 43
Nagrand
A
Telaar
50, 70
Nagrand
H
Garadar
51, 34
Zangarmarsh
H
Zabra’jin
36, 52
Zangarmarsh
A
Telredor
69, 52
Blade’s Edge Mountains
A
Sylvanaar
42, 66
Blade’s Edge Mountains
H
Thunderlord Stronghold
50, 59
Netherstorm
A
Area 52
31, 63
Netherstorm
H
Area 52
32, 68
 
There are 3 new Earthen Ring bonfires which are neutral and award 15 Burning Blossoms. One is in Mount Hyjal and is part of the Eastern Kingdoms route above. The other two are in:
Vashj'ir, Silver Tide Hollow (49, 42)
Deepholm, Temple of Earth (49, 51)

I've found some bonfires in my travels that aren't part of the achievements but will still give the same rewards. These were in:
Elwynn Forest, Goldshire
Tirisfal Glades, The Bulwark
Uldum, Ramkahen (one for each faction)

There may be others! Let me know if you find any.

Northrend: These aren’t part of any achievements but will get you extra experience/gold/blossoms.

Zone
A/H/N
Location
Co-ordinates
Borean Tundra
A
Fizzcrank Airstrip
55, 20
Borean Tundra
H
Bor'gorok Outpost
51, 12
Sholazar Basin
A
River's Heart
47, 66
Sholazar Basin
H
River's Heart
47, 62
Dragonblight
H
Agmar's Hammer
39, 48
Dragonblight
A
Wintergarde Keep
75, 44
Crystalsong Forest
A
Windrunner's Overlook
78, 75
Crystalsong Forest
H
Sunreaver's Command
80, 53
The Storm Peaks
A
K3
42, 87
The Storm Peaks
H
K3
40, 86
Zul'Drak
A
The Argent Stand
41, 61
Zul'Drak
H
The Argent Stand
43, 71
Grizzly Hills
A
Amberpine Lodge
34, 61
Grizzly Hills
H
Conquest Hold
19, 61
Howling Fjord
A
Fort Wildervar
58, 16
Howling Fjord
H
Camp Winterhoof
48, 13

Ice the Frost Lord

You will need to be 84+ to queue for this holiday boss via the LFD finder. The first time you defeat Ahune each day you will get a Satchel of Chilled Goods, which will reward a guaranteed 24 justice points and a chance at:

Ice Chip (gives you Frigid Frostling)
Some Burning Blossoms

There are 5 cloaks that could also drop. These have been upgraded to ilvl 353 (equivalent to epics from Zul’Aman/Zul’Gurub):


Currently there’s nothing to suggest that these couldn’t drop too:


The first time you defeat this boss you should receive Shard of Ahune, which starts a quest rewarding one of two tabards. It seems that players who completed this quest before 2009 will not see this item drop, but you can restore the tabard at a tabard vendor if you’ve deleted it (these can be found in the Visitor’s Centre of most cities).
CONFIRMED: It is possible to choose one tabard, equip it, delete it and then restore the other option at the tabard NPC. Once you have equipped that, both will count towards the 25 Tabards achievement! I have just done this successfully :D so delete with an easy mind!

King of the Fire Festival

You get this achievement by completing the quest A Thief’s Reward. This involves (you already guessed this was coming, I’m sure) going into each of the 4 enemy capitals and stealing their flames. I know you’re too awesome to be put off by that though. Old World Flying will make this much easier than in previous years so find their fire, fly straight down and steal the flames.
You might die, it's true, but as long as you take their precious flames, it matters not! If you do I'd advise taking the rez sickness, going to find yourself some pie to eat and doing the next one later. I’ll probably do mine early in the morning (6-7am) before work. Pie is a valid breakfast food too, you know.

Burning Hot Pole Dance [requires 400 Burning Blossoms]

For this achievement you need the completed Midsummer Set. This will set you back 400 Burning Blossoms, so get honouring/desecrating those fires! Luckily you’ll be doing that anyway if you want the holiday meta. The good news is that you can collect ~800 blossoms during the holiday so it’ll definitely be possible to buy all 3 parts. Equip them and dance round a ribbon pole for 60 seconds. Voila!

Torch Juggler [requires 5-35 Burning Blossoms]

Juggle 40 torches in Dalaran. Sounds simple…but you have to complete the Torch Tossing and Torch Catching quests first.
The most sensible-sounding tip I’ve found is to set your camera distance to maximum (type /console cameraDistanceMax 50 into your chat window) and point it downwards in ‘never adjust’ mode. Follow the shadow and be underneath it when it lands. This is really hard, and took me a lot of tries (plus some generous cussing). The first torch will always go straight behind you and quite a few yards, but torches 2-4 won't go far - the trick is spotting which way they go and getting there in time!

If you're stuck on this, I'd recommend Rades' awesome guide to catching torches!
 
So, you've done the quests and you’re ready to go! A little bit of research on the interwebs has turned up the following strategy for this achievement:
Find a minimal-lag spot in Dalaran. Point the camera straight down, zoomed out. Bind the torches to a hotkey and target the ground under your feet. You should be able to alternate hotkey-click-hotkey-click, catching each torch as it lands.
UPDATE: Use the Purple Parlor! I never got below 11 torches out of 20 in my bags, so try everything with 10 first. This is down to lag, ultimately. I found that consciously alternating key-click-key-click made the process too slow. In the end, I just hit hotkey and clicked at the same time, as fast as possible! So try that first, ok? Because you don't want the air at your desk to be as blue as mine was before I thought of doing that...
They reappear in your bags when caught so many report doing this with as few as 10 torches and I think that would be possible. You earn 5 by doing the Torch Catching quest and stacks of 5 torches can be bought for 5 Burning Blossoms. Don't forget that you should have 20 from the Shards of Ahune quest too! (These didn't drop for me - let me know if they did for you). Alternatively you can buy them on the AH as they don’t become soulbound. Let me know how many you needed to do it! I suspect I'll need the full 40 ^.^ (thankfully not!)


That's it! Hopefully you found something helpful in here if you were working towards any of this meta. As always, corrections/suggestions/general comments are welcome and will be edited in as soon as I can!

Good luck!
Ara

June 12, 2011

WoW Blogging Challenge Day 07 - The reason behind your blog's name

This post is part of the WoW Blogging Challenge! Originally inspired by Saga at Spellbound. Reposted after the great Blogger post-swallowing event.

-----------------------------------

While I do wish there was a thrilling tale behind the name of my blog...there isn't. I know, I heard the /gasps from here!

I decided the word 'achievements' had to be in there somewhere, mainly so that people didn't get lost/confused and mistake me for a genuine class-related source of information.*

Then it was a choice: 'Achievements (insert word)' or '(insert word) achievements'? Yep, that's the limit of my creativity when it comes to names. It seemed snappier to keep it to two words in my defence!

I tend to append 'ahoy!' to words as a statement of fact or intent when I'm in a good mood...so that solved the problem really. I'm never in a bad mood when I'm hunting achievements (note that 'bad' is completely different from 'frustrated' in this context) and so it was decided:

Achievements Ahoy!

Happily I've not thought of changing it once - I think it's a keeper. Was yours a spur of the moment choice or a carefully brainstormed process?


*Never expect that from this blog! Try the ones on my blogroll ;)


Last challenge - Your workplace/desk
Next challenge - 10 things we don't know about you