With the new Cataclysm raids comes a new set of armour for Mages to drool over. The Firelord’s Vestments have certainly won praise for their looks, but how does it stack up as a fully-fledged dungeon set? Will the complete outfit be worn by most mages, or will the bare minimum be used? Firstly, it’s…
The Lament of Lost Adventures
Buried in both Greek and Roman mythology is the tale of a lone hero facing impossible odds in order to complete twelve incredible tasks. The tale of the Labours of Hercules is of truly epic proportions, describing how a single man is battered by fate and fortune, toiling to redeem himself only to be struck…
The Optional Extras
We often think of choice as being a good thing. Go to any chocolate shop and you’re greeted with a range of options to choose from, all of them tempting. Then again, being free from choice is also a wonderful thing –buying chocolates by the box is much more popular than just choosing a couple…
The Back Seat Guild Leader
Ever get the feeling that you’re standing at a crossroads, looking down at the various prongs of a Morton’s Fork? It’s a position that an increasing number of players are finding themselves in during the run up to Cataclysm, and I don’t think I’m an exception to that. And like many people, my thoughts at…
Ratings and Mage 4.0
Back in Wrath, mages were driven by a small number of key stats. Spellpower and Haste Rating were key, with Crit Rating coming a distant third for all specs except Fire. Bringing up the rear were Spirit and Intellect, with the former being useful for Molten Armor and the latter supporting a larger mana pool….
Where Did The Obscurecast Go?
It’s been a quiet week on the pages of Mana Obscura. There’s normally an update here at least twice a week, but the last post was nearly ten days ago. Ten days. That’s over a week, in case you’re counting. So what’s been happening to keep me away from blogging for the last ten days?…
The Mage 4.0 Compendium
The game of Warcraft is changing. In the next few weeks the first of a series of patches will be pushed to the live severs. The first of these patches (4.0.1) will bring with it the core changes to all classes, as well as various UI and interface changes. This guide to the key mage…
A Socially Aware Warcraft?
When I think of MMOs, I generally think of games that are rick in social interaction. Alongside the gigantic world and the rich environments are dedicated tools specifically designed to help players interact with each other. But although Warcraft has developed socially with the inclusion of Real ID and Facebook integration, it’s mainly designed to…
Authenticators: Busting the Myths
There’s been a lot of talk about the Blizzard Authenticator recently. Some people are firm advocates who feel they are a magic bullet for account security. Others believe they’re a waste of money or a pointless inconvenience. Still more think that an Authenticator is only for those people who don’t practice safe computer hygiene. All…
Becoming a Better Barker
I’m probably what you’d call a semi-casual auctioneer. I have a dedicated bank alt and a clutch of addons to help me sell stuff. I tend to avoid risk though – I deal in raw materials, BoE blue gear and items that I can flip easily. I don’t spend much time on it, but likewise…