First, monks
After spending time with it, I’m more certain than ever that my initial impression of the monk class was correct: it’s like Blizzard came to me and ask me what I wanted in a class. Even down to the little things like “what weapons should they be able to equip?” - the monk is like the aspects of other classes that I like, but without most of the stuff that I don’t.
Due to the fact that some of the damage abilities are actually part of the healing rotation in times of low damage, it’s actually amazingly easy to level as a mistweaver monk compared to some healing specs. (You wouldn’t catch me dead trying to level as a holy paladin outside of instances, for example. I know it can be done, but it’s more aggravation than I intend to put up with.) It’s a little dull compared to the others, but it’s doable.
If you want to find me on the beta, look on the US PvE server (Lost Isles?) for Headstoned or Maztroz.
And now a series of assorted beta-related thoughts
I spent a while out of the beta, letting things stabilize and hunting achievements on my live character - it didn’t help that I got into the beta around the same time that no one could do anything because CRASHES CRASHES CRASHES. It’s a lot better now, although - haha - I still haven’t seen Jade Forest as a result.
Here’s an odd quirk from account-wide-everything: on the beta, I have Mountain o’ Mounts - I don’t have this on live, on any character. I’m a little skeptical† - Zulfon has 62 mounts, and even being generous and discounting the two mounts added to every premade’s mount collection (Raven Lord and Crimson Pandaren Phoenix), that’s 38 mounts on some other character (namely my warlock, my only other live character that I’ve copied to the beta) that I don’t have on my death knight. Oh well. Beta weirdness! Maybe they just give it to everybody!
I think I could run around forever marveling at how pretty Pandaria is. My screenshots folder
seems to agree. Here, have another screenshot.
†So I punched it into Warcraft Mounts and was surprised to find that, well - my mounts don’t really overlap at all, but I have a little ways to go before hitting 100. (That number should be accurate for any of my current 85s, each of which has 2 class mounts.) I also found that every one of my 85s owns a White Kodo, for some reason.
Picking up the two Netherwing Drakes I haven’t bought for some reason will take me to 88, then goblin trikes will put me at 90. I’ve been working on Tol Barad; when I finish it, and pick up the drake and ghost wolf, there’s two more, for 92. Three easily-accessible mounts at the tournament - 95. After that, well… PvP mounts?
