If you’re anything like me, you’ve been following the previews of Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition and are frothing at the mouth to get the books. You’re also a bit miffed at the idea of dropping $100+ on the books. As it turns out, though, you can have your cake and eat it too. The best deal I managed to find for these books ended up costing me just under $17 per book, a far cry from the list price of $104.95 for all three. Here’s how I did it:

1. Apply any organizational discounts. At B&N, organizational discounts stack with coupon discounts. For example, I’m a AAA member, so I started by logging in through AAA.com/barnesandnoble to get a 5% discount. If you’ve got any sort of organizational discount that applies, like the B&N membership discount or the Geico Privileges discount, be sure to give it a try.
    
2. Add it to your shopping cart. Go to the 4th Edition Core Rulebook Gift Set product page. This is where the lion’s share of your discount comes in; Barnes & Noble cuts 35% off the list price and gives you free shipping for preordering. Select Preorder to add it to your cart.
    
3. Apply your coupon discount. Proceed through checkout. When prompted for a coupon code, enter Y8Y8E9R if you’re a new customer to receive a 25% discount. Of course, you can get the new customer discount even as an existing customer if you’re sly enough to have a spouse or good friend place the order for you. The coupon expires on May 26th, but you should be able to find similar coupons if you order after this date. Here’s the page where I found the coupon codes for you latecomers.
    
4. Select free shipping. Be sure to choose the best free shipping option available. For me, this was expedited free shipping, which takes three to five business days.
    
5. Wait with rapt anticipation. Count the days until June 11-13, when your books should arrive in the mail.

Following these steps, I managed to get the full set for $50.95, or just under $17 apiece. Your mileage may vary. First-time B&N customers who don’t have any organizational discounts should be able to get the set for a little over $54, which is still a pretty good deal.

Share your thoughts. Has anyone found a way to (legally) get the books any cheaper?

Level 62: Nature’s Grasp. Apparently, this can be cast in any form, which makes it significantly more useful than I had originally thought. I can see it being handy for dealing with adds or running away in PvP, as well as dealing with pesky rogues and warriors in PvP.

Level 63-67: Predatory Instincts. I’ll go ahead and admit it; between Sharpened Claws, Leader of the Pack, and plenty of agility-enhancing gear, I crit a lot. Improving crit damage, then, isn’t a bad idea. The area effect avoidance is really just icing on the cake.

Level 68-70: Natural Shapeshifter. If you don’t PvP very often, this is your best choice. If you do, go with Primal Tenacity instead. The little added resistance to stuns and fears can help in fights against hunters, rogues, warlocks, and priests.

As always, here’s the visual breakdown of the revised feral druid build.

What bugs me is the mentality that getting into a guild is a goal that I’m expected to have. It never even occurs to other players that I don’t, in fact, want to be in a guild. Yes, you heard me right. I don’t want to be in a guild. In case you find that difficult to understand, here are five reasons why I think guilds are overrated.

1. Scheduling pressure. I’m a casual player, so my free time is not wholly dominated by Warcraft. There’s also time with my family, side jobs, hobbies, and chores to consider. I can’t always be available to do instances and raids. Unfortunately, I haven’t been in a guild yet that didn’t expect me to treat group activities like a second job. End-game raiding guilds are particularly bad for this.
    
2. Social obligation. In the time I do play Warcraft, I want to have fun, which usually involves advancing my own characters. In a guild, however, high-level characters are often expected to assist low-level characters with tough quests and instance runs. I’m not necessarily against lending a hand, but it can become a pain when you’re asked too often. It’s even more annoying when the tables are turned and other guild members refuse to follow suit.
    
3. Chatter. I usually only keep one chat channel open, and that’s a private channel for family and friends. Occasionally, I’ll keep General chat open when it isn’t too noisy (i.e., not in the Barrens). In a guild, however, it’s expected that you’ll keep guild chat open and not only listen to all the inane chatter, but contribute to it as well. Sorry, but I have better things to focus on than random conversation.
    
4. Internal politics. More than a few guilds I’ve been a part of dissolved or suffered mass attrition as a result of internal politics. One member says or does something that rubs another the wrong way, lines get drawn in the sand, and, before you know it, there are hurt feelings and bad morale. I play Warcraft to have fun, thanks, and situations like that are anything but.
    
5. Inactivity. In contrast to the frustrations already mentioned, which are typical of more active guilds, inactive guilds strain logic. Why, exactly, would I be in a guild that doesn’t actually do anything as a group? That’s pretty much the same as being guildless to begin with. Then again, it might stop people from constantly asking me to join their guild…

I think that sums it up pretty well. To clarify, I’m not an asocial person. I just find that being in a guild more often diminishes than increases my enjoyment of the game. And why am I playing at all if not to have fun?

1. Good guys make the best villains. Nothing stirs player hatred quite like betrayal, be it on a personal level or simply a betrayal of principles. If it’s possible, get the party actively involved in your villain’s fall from grace. By making them partially responsible for the villain’s existence, you make them feel responsible for his crimes and that much more committed to stopping him.
    
2. A good villain isn’t untouchable. Remember; your players are the stars of the story. Don’t make your villain so powerful that they don’t pose a threat to him. Make him challenging, even oppressive, but not untouchable. That way acting against him isn’t a seemingly futile prospect.
    
3. A good villain is evil by choice. Someone forced to commit wicked acts against his or her will is a victim, not a villain. Someone who chooses the path of evil, however, is much easier to despise. It’s okay for the party to understand, and perhaps even empathize with, the villain’s decisions; just don’t make those decisions easy to forgive.
    
4. A good villain acts by proxy. Until the climax of the story, your villain should never be in real harm’s way. Send proxies to do your villain’s dirty work. After all, they’re expendable; your villain isn’t.
    
5. A good villain forces hard decisions. Stop the villain, or stop the forest fire he started to distract you? Kill the villagers he infected, or let them spread the plague to others? A good villain will actively put the party into situations like these where the consequences of either choice could be disastrous.
    
6. A good villain finds creative ways to torment the party. Sending wave after wave of minions after the party is a natural part of villainy, but it gets boring if that’s all you do. Have your villain attack the party’s family or allies, defame them in the next town over, curse them, put a bounty on their head, etc. By harassing the party from many different angles, you keep them on their toes.
    
7. A good villain is never truly defeated. Although your villain shouldn’t be unkillable, he should have a contingency plan for nearly any situation. Naturally, he’s there to be thwarted, quite likely numerous times, but the fat lady shouldn’t be singing for him until the very climax of the campaign. Even then, leaving a twinge of doubt about his demise is a great lead-in to another campaign.

Level 10 – 14: Ferocity. There’s some debate as to whether Ferocity is a better choice than Feral Aggression. Both talents enhance your performance in cat and bear form. However, after you get Mangle much later in the build, you’ll probably use Rip instead of Ferocious Bite, since it inflicts bleed damage. It’s not a huge difference, so if you prefer Feral Aggression, go with it.

Level 15 – 16: Brutal Impact. When this talent first becomes available, it can be very useful to Bash, unshift to druid form, heal, and shift back to bear form before the enemy is out of stun. Later on, Pounce is the opening move of choice in cat form, so this talent will serve you well for much of your character’s career.

Level 17 – 19: Feral Instinct. This is another talent that simultaneously improves your performance in both cat and bear form. Thick Hide is nice, but it won’t help you as much at lower levels. If you follow this build, you’ll be returning to get it later, anyway.

Level 20 – 21: Feral Swiftness. The speed increase that this talent gives you is a huge boon to leveling, so get it as soon as possible. The dodge bonus is just icing on the cake, and makes the talent well worth it even after you travel form or a mount.

Level 22: Feral Charge. Warriors know that charging is a great way to open a fight, since you can get an early start on your aggro. It’s also a great way to stop runners and quickly close in on those pesky ranged mobs.

Level 23 – 25: Sharpened Claws. Especially after you get Improved Leader of the Pack, a high crit chance is a huge benefit to feral druids. And besides, it’s a necessary prerequisite to Primal Fury. On that note…

Level 26 – 27: Primal Fury. Once you’ve got your crit chance high enough, your DPS in cat form can really skyrocket thanks to this talent. Imagine having five combo points on a creature before it can even recover from its Pounce stun and you’ll understand what I mean.

Level 28 – 29: Predatory Strikes. There’s nothing particularly impressive about a bit of increased attack power. Granted, there’s nothing bad about it, but you’re really only taking this talent to get Heart of the Wild later.

Level 30: Feral Faerie Fire. This may not look like much, but it can really come in handy. It allows you to pull mobs from a distance in bear form, and gives you something useful to throw when you’re out of energy or rage. On top of that, it’s 100% free to use. What’s not to love?

Level 31 – 32: Savage Fury. Claw is your bread and butter in cat form, so increasing its damage by 20% is great. Improving Rake and Mangle is also nice, especially later when you’re dishing out massive bleed damage.

Level 33: Predatory Strikes. Now that you’ve got everything you really want from the fifth tier, it’s time to go back and finish this out, again just to meet the prerequisite.

Level 34: Thick Hide. This is really just a freebie talent point to get you to the next tier. I often tank, so Thick Hide is nice. You could also sink this point into Shredding Attacks if that’s your preference.

Level 35 – 39: Heart of the Wild. 20% more intellect in druid form, 20% more stamina in bear form, and 20% more strength in cat form. Are you kidding me?! This one’s a no-brainer.

Level 40: Leader of the Pack. To clarify for those who, like me, didn’t know whether or not this works on the druid who has it, it does. That alone is enough to take it, but it adds 5% crit for everyone else in your party as well. Paladins wish they had an aura this sweet. The only downside is that your party won’t ever want you to shift into druid form.

Level 41 – 42: Improved Leader of the Pack. I’m sorry, did I say Leader of the Pack was nice? Scratch that; it’s awesome. With this talent, you and every member of your party get to heal with every crit. If you weren’t a solo monster before, this talent and the right agility gear will make you nigh unkillable in PvE.

Level 43 – 45: Survival of the Fittest. At first, this talent might seem deceptively underpowered. However, when you have to tank powerful bosses, you’ll understand how useful it can be. Basically, it takes your bear tank a big step closer to being uncrushable, which is one of the few advantages that warrior tanks have over bear tanks.

Level 46 – 47: Thick Hide. Levels 46 through 49 are iffy at best. Some people like Primal Tenacity; others like Predatory Instincts. Both are situationally useful. I prefer more widely useful talents, so I opt for going back and filling out lower tiers. I’d advise going with whatever best suits your play style.

Level 48 – 49: Shredding Attacks. The same argument as above applies here. I chose Shredding Attacks because Lacerate is a great tanking ability when you get to it later.

Level 50: Mangle. Oh, the pain… Pounce your unsuspecting enemy, then Mangle, Rake, and Rip them to death, because you are an animal!

Some people prefer to stick around and fill out a few more feral combat talents. However, the restoration tree has a great deal to offer a melee druid. Here’s how you spend your last 20 talent points.

Level 51 – 55: Furor. By now, you should be shifting back and forth between your various forms with some frequency. This talent makes you ready to do what your form does best the second you shift. It’s especially great for tanking, since you can shift to bear form and immediately use Feral Charge.

Level 56 – 60: Naturalist. When I first saw this talent, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Who would’ve ever thought to see a 10% boost to all melee damage in the second tier of a healing tree? Note that I passed over Nature’s Focus, which is a nice talent, but unnecessary at this level since you already have Barkskin.

Level 61: Omen of Clarity. Free abilities in every form are great, especially when you’re feral and it has a chance to proc with every melee attack. When it procs in cat form, this talent makes some truly sick opening combos possible.

Level 62 – 64: Natural Shapeshifter. Past Omen of Clarity, the restoration talents available to feral druids become less and less useful. A little added mana efficiency for frequent shifting is nice.

Level 65 – 67: Intensity. Intensity gives you a little more rage to work with, which can be very useful on occasion; the mana regeneration aspect is just a side bonus.

Level 68 – 70: Improved Mark of the Wild. There’s honestly nothing of much use left at this point. This talent doesn’t do much to improve your mark of the wild, but the benefit is constant.

Here’s the visual breakdown. For those interested, there are plenty of ways to customize it. Some people prefer to dip 11 points into restoration for Omen of Clarity earlier than 50, for example. Likewise, the last nine points in restoration are just a matter of personal preference. Experiment for yourself and find out what works best with your play style.

Paladins suck. Yes, I said it, and I’ll say it again. Pallies suck. They are the very definition of a jack-of-all-trades, able to do many things but none of them well. They can do adequate DPS with a retribution spec, they can be respectable healers with a holy spec, and they can be decent tanks (or better-than-average off-tanks) with a protection spec. Without a solid talent spec and gear to match, their performance in every regard is sub par, and they can’t do any of these jobs as well as a specialty class that’s specced for it.

I can hear the objections now. “That’s the whole point of playing a paladin.” Perhaps, but the game has two other multi-purpose classes: The druid and the shaman. I’ve played both of them, and the fact is that both are better at the jobs they can fill than a paladin can ever be. Druids, for example, are right up there with warriors as the end-game tanks of choice. Shamans, likewise, can dish out melee DPS on par with a rogue. Even as party healers, arguably the one area that paladins should out-perform them, druids and shamans are just as viable.

I know it’s been said many times, but I think it’s worth saying again. Paladins need to be fixed. Give them some better healing abilities to make them really shine in one discipline over druids and shamans. Give them a reliable way of generating threat en masse and becoming uncrushable so they can be end-game tanks rather than off-tanks. Heck, give them some freakin’ DPS so they don’t have to die repeatedly while soloing. Any improvement would be great, because right now there’s no real reason to play them except for character reasons.

Alright, I’ve said my peace. Hopefully I haven’t offended the paladin-lovers out there. If you feel affronted by my comments, please realize that I gave the class a chance to prove itself, despite my brother’s objections (which were always valid, seeing as he has a 70 dwarf pally). Remember, it’s still possible to love a class while recognizing its numerous and glaring shortcomings. Personally, I’ll be trading in my paladin for a tauren druid.

The result has been very enjoyable. We started a blood elf paladin and hunter duo that work very well together. Thus far, I’ve noticed several real advantages to playing together compared to standard, one-computer play.

1. No friction over a shared computer. We used to quibble over time on the computer when we first got WoW about two years ago, eventually growing out of it as our play time throttled back to more reasonable levels. If it were still an issue, though, playing at the same time would make it a moot point.
    
2. Great communication. Forget chat or even TeamSpeak; when the person you’re playing with is right next to you, group communication is as good as it gets. I can instantly alert her to adds, coordinate abilities, and even know when she’s lagging or disconnected.
    
3. Digital romance. A lot of infrequently-used emotes (e.g., /kiss, /hug, /love, etc.) have become commonplace since we started playing together. It’s no substitute for true romance, of course, but it’s a fun way to reinforce an existing romance.
    
4. No conflicting schedules. Ever party with someone who had to log off at an inconvenient moment to go deal with real life necessities like eating, sleeping, or working? Well, when you do those things at the same time as the person you’re playing with, there tend to be very few scheduling difficulties.
    
5. Group quests are a cinch. We’ve been able to handle all two- and most three-person quests together without ever having to find additional party members. Even when a larger group is required, we have the confidence of knowing that at least one other person in the party is halfway competent. It’s also nice to vent to one another about bad party members that we share in common.
    
6. Coordinated skills. Since we party together so frequently, we’ve built up our characters to complement each other. I make her sharpening stones and give her meat. She makes me armor kits and food. If leather drops, it’s hers. If mail drops, it’s mine. By planning our skills ahead of time, our characters synergize very nicely.
    
7. Harmony. It’s a real treat to have a regular questing partner that you can always get along with. It’s a minor thing, but, when you don’t have to butt heads with your companion, you come away from playing the game with a greater sense of satisfaction.

Naturally, your experience may very. My wife and I are both WoW geeks, and we have a very healthy marriage, which isn’t necessarily typical. With the added overhead a second computer and account, it’s definitely not for everyone. For those who have the means and opportunity, however, I highly recommend giving it a try.

Dawn broke over the city of Silvermoon, a crisp, clear day in the northern reaches of Azeroth. Although commerce and activity would soon bustle below, all was quiet now but for the steady pounding of a solitary hammer on steel.

In the smithy of Farstrider Square, Thalenir was doing the only thing he could to distract himself from the previous day’s events. He pounded the glowing-hot blade with rhythmatic precision, molding it into the form of his choosing. If he kept at this pace, he would have it completed before patrol later that morning, a fine new armament with which to carry out his duties.

The art of smithing was a birthright to Thalenir. His father had always been proud to tell the story of the family name. Long ago, Thalenir’s ancestor had been a celebrated smith who honed the art of quenching newly-wrought weapons in the blood of his enemies. His father had said that such weapons were instilled with unusual strength, and still much sought after. The practice, of course, earned his family the name of Bloodbrand.

The story had always been a point of pride for Thalenir, even if it was a bit gruesome. In his youth, he had endeavored to help his father in the forge at every opportunity. It didn’t matter that the process was no longer a family secret; to see the blood flow up the blade in defiance of gravity, seeping in and empowering the metal, was a magical moment.

That had been years ago, of course, and Thalenir had no chance of seeing it again. His father had fallen in the battle to retake Silvermoon some months ago. Try as he might, Thalenir could not cast the painful memory aside. The best he could do was tell himself how proud he should be of a father who died doing his duty and how he should be so dedicated. He wished his father would think well of the man he had become so many times that it had become a personal mantra.

“Sir Bloodbrand?” came a voice behind him, stirring Thalenir from his revery. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Thalenir recognized Knight-Lord Bloodvalor’s personal messenger.

“Yes?” he said without turning.

“I have a missive from the Knight-Lord. Your are being reassigned.”

Thalenir’s hammer slipped with a resounding clang against the anvil. “What?!” he exclaimed. He turned to the messenger, who immediately offered him a scroll bearing the Blood Knight seal.

Without a moment’s pause to consider the half-finished sword behind him, Thalenir snatched the scroll, tore it open, and began to read:

“To Sir Thalenir Bloodbrand:

You are hereby commissioned as the personal attendant and bodyguard of the Lady Kirima Morninglow. Your duty will be to assist her in any capacity she deems necessary and to ensure her safety at all times. The Lady will await you at the city gates at midday.

Glory to the Sin’Dorei,
Knight-Lord Bloodvalor

P.S. It is expected that this commission will involve travelling abroad, so I suggest you come prepare accordingly.”

Thalenir read the letter twice to be sure of its meaning. His eyes lingered over the words, “travelling abroad.” Why was Bloodvalor sending him from his post? What purpose would he serve babysitting some pampered noblewoman? Had the Knight-Lord lost confidence in his abilities? With a twinge of panic, he wondered if the soldier had spoken of Thalenir’s misconduct.

Thalenir went about the rest of the morning with growing apprehension. What he had done could be considered disloyal, even treasonous. To think he had defended an enemy of the realm, even for a moment, filled him with self-loathing. He could only hope that this new development was not the result of his lapse in judgment.

As the sun climbed high into the sky later that day, Thalenir made his way to the city gates. It simply wouldn’t be proper to meet a noble unkempt, so he had spent the morning carefully polishing his armor and shield. The new sword hung at his side, honed to perfection and gleaming with deadly beauty in the sunlight. In his pack, he carried all of the essential supplies he would need for a week’s journey, although he secretly hoped not to be away from his post for so long.

The gates neared, and Thalenir saw no sign of a noblewoman. Several commoners and traders chatted nearby, the usual guardsmen stood at attention, and a solitary hunter lingered just beyond the threshold. With no apparent sign of the Lady, Thalenir frowned.

“Are you Thalenir?” came a female voice. For a moment, Thalenir was taken aback. The voice came from the hunter, who walked up to greet him. She had short red hair and wore travel-worn clothes topped with leather armor. Strapped to her back were a sword and a bow.

“Yes…,” he said, somewhat confused. After a moment’s consideration, he dismissed the thought that this could be Lady Morninglow. Although she was quite beautiful, if a bit rugged, there was nothing noble about this woman.

“Good. Thank you for being so prompt,” she said smiling, shattering Thalenir’s denial. Suddenly, he regretted his initial bias against her as nothing more than a “pampered noble.”

“Not at all, milady,” he said with a slight bow. Whatever her outward appearance, proper etiquette demanded he be cordial in respect of her standing.

“Oh, no need for formalities,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “I don’t spend any time in court. I hardly want to be treated like a courtier.”

“My apologies,” Thalenir said as he rose from his bow. A small smile spread across his face, though he couldn’t put his finger on why. Perhaps it was due to his new companion’s unexpectedly casual composure; perhaps it was something else.

“Well, I can see you’re ready to head out,” she said, smiling back. “No need to wait, then. Let’s get going. I’ll brief you on the way.” At this, she turned and strode out of the gate.

Thalenir stood for a brief moment, musing over the unexpected turn of events. As he followed behind her, he felt unusually happy to be away from his post.

Clang! The clash of their swords resounded through the air. Thalenir glared at the young soldier with righteous fury in his eyes. He would not allow this dishonorable conduct to continue.

“Sir?” the soldier said, a look of confusion spreading across his face. As quickly as it had swelled up, Thalenir’s rage subsided. He blinked as if waking from a dream. Why had he done it? It had been involuntary, almost reflexive. A moment ago, he had been ready to kill his subordinate rather than allow him to dispatch the Wretched.

“Didn’t Lord Bloodvalor order no quarter, Sir?” the soldier asked, stepping back and lowering his sword submissively. He spoke the truth. The Wretched were to be exterminated with all haste to ensure the safety of the realm. It was their duty.

“Yes, he did,” Thalenir replied, though his voice conveyed no certainty. He looked down upon the Wretched and could think of no more appropriate title. Hopelessly addicted to magic, the pitiable creature held its hands over its sunken face in surrender. Distantly, he heard it pleading for its life.

“I’ll take care of this one,” he said. He was coming back to his senses now and his voice rang with its usual authority. “You are dismissed.”

“Yes, sir,” the soldier said obediently. With a small salute, he added, “Glory to the Sin’Dorei,” and departed.

Thalenir turned his attention back to the Wretched. He felt nothing but contempt for the creature, yet he had been ready to kill an ally to keep it from harm. Why? Because it had surrendered? Because he felt mercy? These things had never troubled him before.

“No,” he stated aloud in proud denial of these weaknesses. Though he was speaking to himself, the Wretched cringed even lower in response, sure that its life was about to end.

He steeled himself against the doubt in his heart. He was a Blood Knight, one of the chosen defenders of Silvermoon. His loyalty was absolute and his duty was clear.

He concentrated for a moment, invoking the Seal of Righteousness. As the holy power rose up within him, he raised his sword and brought it down in a single, deadly stroke.

The Wretched fell limply to the ground, its blood pooling around it. Thalenir lingered over the creature for a moment, attempting to comprehend what had driven him to protect it. “It’s nothing,” he told himself. “I just wanted the killing blow for myself, that’s all.”

As he walked away, he wanted to feel certain of himself. He wanted to be the ruthless champion that his race so desperately needed, that he had always known himself to be. But the question still plagued him. Why had he done it?

Why had he felt mercy…?

Continued in Stain of Honor (Part Two)

Up until recently, my wife and I had been playing Warcraft on my old college computer. It was reliable, but showing its age. Nowadays, a four-year-old graphics card and a 768 MB of RAM just don’t cut it. Still, we enjoyed playing Warcraft on it, even if we had to deal with occasional lagginess and poor rendering.

Since buying our new computer, however, that’s all changed. To use a metaphor, if Warcraft on my old computer was cocaine, it’s now the equivalent of ultra-refined crack. Everything is crisp and realistic. I can even see through the water. Heck, the frame rate never dips to a point where I can perceive it even in the highest-traffic areas. It is, in a word, glorious.

I’ve spoken before about gaming addiction, but something I never understood was that many addicts must be running the game on good systems like this. If you’re having trouble cutting back or quitting, then, I would advise downgrading your graphics card and RAM. Think of it as a WoW nicotine patch. You’ll still be able to play, but it won’t provide the same wonderful detail that’s so mouth-watering. You’d be surprised what effect that can have. I certainly was.