The state of summer raiding and a realization of sorts

So I am bummed, AC has suspended raiding. People going out of town, summer raiding burnout, wanting to still down TK and SSC, not wanting to step foot in TK and SSC, sick of Hyjal trash, and just an overall malaise about BC and waiting for WotLK.

I am really torn in how I feel about this. The vacation from raiding 2-4 nights a week is nice, especially since I am still running my lock 1-2 nights a week in Kara with Simplicity. But part of me misses the challenge of the new. We had just downed Najentus and Azgalor before we called a break... what a downer coming off some nice progression.

I miss raiding with my WOW buddies and continuing to show that a social guild without perfect raid makeups can still get it done and progress with the hard core guys.

I think what I miss about this most is the RL conversions that crop up with other people that play. Before I was raiding BT and Hyjal, something not many players, even some hard core can say. Oddly enough I find the ability to talk about WOW in RL social situations quite pleasing. I bet if the people I am out with know nothing about cars, computers, poker, surfing, college football, or vintage arcade game restoration there is a chance they have played WOW and we have some common ground on which to base a conversation. I have found in these situations that raiding 25 man content makes me much more interesting like that of owning a Mclaren Super car instead of a Saturn. Sometimes I meet people that are all about PvP and I find that interesting since it is something I suck at and I live on a PVE server. I really can't wait to get a shirt from BBB to wear out as a possible conversation starter. If nothing else I can't wait to see the range of personalities this might attract... "I tank with my face"... yes I do.

So now I am focused on getting better at PvP, arena most specifically. I am doing a 2v2 with a Discipline Priest now and a 3v3 with the same Priest and a Warrior. As we find ways to beat our foes I will see about posting a strategy that is more involved than pounce, mangle, shred, rip, and pray.