Immortal Butterflies

Anybody who participates in my raiding life real-time will likely laugh when they see this post. Hell, even those who don't probably will also, but for other reasons.

As I write, it is tuesday lunchtime, waiting in anticipation for tonight's raid. By the time this post hits the blog, the events I'm anticipating will actually be over and done with.

Tonight is the first night we will be making a focused effort to become Immortal. Clear Naxx-25 without any deaths during boss encounters.

Prep Work

You'd like to think that clearing naxx every week would be prep enough. I mean, don't we all try to survive EVERY fight?

But this is different. Take Patchwerk. If you're shooting for a world speed record, every DPS will be pushing threat as absolutely close to the tanks as night elvenly possible. That runs a risk that a melee dps might eat a strike and bite the dust. I'll leave it as a debate for the readers as to whether that's reasonable or not, but the fact is, it can happen. Going for Immortal? Take your time. Instead of 2.5 minutes, lets kill him in 4 or 4.5. Let the rage-starved second and third tanks stay above you so they eat the strikes. Its why they're here, and its why we love them.

In prep for tonight, we've got lots of conversation going on the forums.

Tweaks to 4H to ensure survival. Tweaks to Thaddius, Heigan, Instructor Raz, and so on. Anywhere we've lost a player in the last several weeks. What went wrong, what do we do to fix it. On fights we havent had recent deaths, we reinforce the keys that make us win.

Then there's the consumables. Push the stamina and defensive stats more heavily than the raw DPS or Healing stats. We know we can kill these things with only 20 players, so go a little extra to help survive.

I'm leaving the decision of swapping a few gems for more stamina (which is also AP for my spec, so not entirely silly) for an impulsive decision close to raid time.

Execution

Once we start pulling, its Go Time. Game Face On!

No other computers on the network downloading anything or playing wow. No iTunes playing. No distractions. No extra sources of lag. No booze.

No "that's what she said" on vent, no matter how perfect the setup is, and how much its killing me to not say it. Lock it up and maintain focus.

Might bring my Immortal Ancona Chicken companion pet, but that's only because she's awesome.


I haven't died in Naxx in ages. Must remember the little things that increase personal and team survival.....

Nobody dies in Maex webs on my watch.

My grobulus farts go where they belong.

I keep my Zombie Chows on the frost so they cannot catch me.

Night Elves CAN Jump! Thaddius ledge boss will be cleared. I know what + and - look like, when to look for them, and what to do when they change.

I do not multishot on Razuvious so I don't mess up the priest MC's.

I assist the tank on the undead side of Gothik as he picks up the adds and I do not pull aggro.

I watch my debuffs and switch Horsemen without standing in the bad stuff.

My MD will be ready when Noth blinks to save my Mages.

I can dance like Swayze and Grey. Nobody puts Baby in the corner!

After eating a spore, I return to my spot to make the 3 seconds my healers get just a little bit easier.

I hide behind ice blocks and I mouse-turn to run out of the snow.

I know how to target the proper Soul Weaver and kill her from range. I know how to spread out to limit ice cube chains. I know how to NOT mana explode my healers. I'm ready to Wyvern Sting and Frozen Arrow any MC'd teammates.

I will not die in the fire.

I will not die in the fire!

Butterflies

Geeky or not, I've got butterflies in my stomach.

And I love it.

Thinking it over, this is exactly what I want out of Achievements. Immortal is pushing us to do something we should be doing anyway. Not like the silly 20-man ones, where Blizz is asking you to tell 5 of your teammates to sit out for no real reason. Stupid. Immortal is spot on. We raid naxx each week, and this achievement is making us do it better.

Anxiety. Tension. Build Up.

The team is depending on eachother to deliver flawless execution.

We might get it, we might not. Obviously I want to nail it, but if it doesn't happen, not the end of the world. Just exciting to be trying, and if we fail, I hope we come back and keep trying.


Tonight, before WoW time, everything will be peaceful and zen. When I get home, with a little help from the uber gf, I'll make some dinner, take the dog for a walk, do some coloring books and some bedtime stories, and then I'll tuck the little one in for the night, sing Twinkle Little Star, kiss her peaceful lil' sleeping forehead as I turn out the light.

Then, keeping with the calm meditative tone, I'll get tomorrow's breakfast and lunch prepared and packed and ready to go, make sure the dog has gone outside and he's curled up in a little ball all snug on his dog bed or the couch, that little rascal, and make sure everything is right with the world, because once I log in....

...its time for Daddy to kick some ass!