The best rank one Gladiator blog I have ever seen.

note: This is not my writing, but those of Marvelleous Gladiator Marxo.
This is the one of, if not the best, pieces I have seen on the blog " World of Ming ".

Please enjoy!!





Marvelous Gladiator Marxo
Some people may be wondering: "Who is Marxo?" These people are shameful, and I refuse to cater to such uninformed dimwits. The management insists that I formulate some sort of introduction, so here you are:

In an attempt to save time, I'll just throw it out there: I am unquestionably the best DK to grace the Arenaverse. The scientific method has been applied to this theory, and I'd be more than happy to provide you with my research. While I've yet to break into the pro scene, my accomplishments are extraordinary nonetheless, and emphatically warrant my prodigious ego. Some of you might know me as the world-record holder for the best win-ratio in the history of arena: an unprecedented 96% at 2860 with Merciless Gladiator Velsus.

It should come as no surprise that I've spent the majority of my illustrious WoW career on BG#1: The Reckoning, as it has established itself as the brewery of the best players in the US, including Cuddlybunny(the Neilyo of WotLK), Kollektiv, Uckington, Serennia, Vorrent, Sallice, Shinaniganz, Ohnoes, Xeckz, Shouri, Zizek, and Pookz, just to name a few.

Sure, I may not have the name-recognition of a Pookz or an Azael, but what I lack in e-fame, I make up for in actually being literate. You can expect my blogs to be articulate, poignant, thought-provoking, and possibly even life-changing; this is not the vapid tripe you've become accustomed to. As a student of philosophy, you can expect me to apply my ivy league education to my blog: Is Serennia stuck in Kierkegaard's aesthetic stage of life? What does the SK-100 teach us about sheep mentality? Would Simone de Beauvoir consider Hafu a feminist? These are important questions that deserve to be explored.

Think of this as "the thinking man's WoM" - a little medicine in your ice cream. If Yog is the Stephenie Meyer of WoM, I'm the Dostoevsky. If you find yourself not enjoying my blogs, they're probably just too deep for you, you philistine garbage can.


Overcoming the Duelist: A Practical Guide
Tired of being a Duelist, in game and in real life? Well, you're in luck! Your friendly neighborhood Gladiator is here with part one in an on-going series of practical guides that should answer all of your pizza-face questions.

I know you have many questions on how to improve your Duelist-level performance in arena, school, your social life, and at the work place. I'll cover some of the more common questions here, but feel free to post further inquiries in the comment section. My pro-gaming expertise will allow me to answer all Gladiator-related questions accurately and eloquently. Take advantage of this unique opportunity, as it's rare that a true Gladiator would even acknowledge your existence. I have benefited greatly by your terrible play over the years, consistently making me look that much greater in contrast; now it's time for me to give back.

The first step to shedding your Duelist title is to admit that you're not good.

Secondly, stop PvEing completely. Scientific Proof Magazine has stated that the Duelist-friendly environment of "hardcore raiding" lowers your reaction time significantly, and cuts your Actions Per Minute in half. Don't believe it? Just ask former Gladiator Shakyra. In season 5, I was able to carry him to rank 1 in the 5v5 bracket with relative ease, but ever since he began raiding with Deus Vox, he has yet to reach his former Gladiator potential, and can barely tie his own shoes anymore - this is not a coincidence.

Thirdly, eat right, you out-of-shape, sixpack-less nerd. Junk food cannot sustain the brain and body of a Gladiator. If you don't have the self control to resist the wily charms of fast food, candy, and Mountain Dew, you don't have what it takes for pro gaming. I personally live off a strict diet of wild salmon, unprocessed cacao bean, green tea, and acai berries.

Fourth, leave your Duelist friends behind. The majority of Duelists are hopeless, and will only weigh you down. The road to Gladiator has no traction - you've gotta step on a few necks if you want that title. Besides, you won't need friends where you're going. As a Gladiator, I am always in the presence of a Gladiator and thus, am always in good company. A Gladiator is never bored.

Always remember: Gladiator is more than a title - it's a mentality. It's crucial that you keep your incredible Gladiator mind stimulated. For this, I recommend the individualist writings of 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. His words are an inspiration to all Gladiators, and are just as relevant today as they were then:

"I teach you the Gladiator. The Duelist is something that shall be overcome. What have you done to overcome him? ... All beings so far have created something beyond themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this great flood, and even go back to the 1800 bracket rather than overcome the Duelist? What is a Challenger to a Duelist? A laughing stock or painful embarrassment. And the Duelist shall be that to the Gladiator: a laughingstock or painful embarrassment. You have made your way from terrible PvE scum to Duelist, and much in you is still garbage. Once you were Challengers, and even now, too, the Duelist is more Challenger than any Challenger.... The Gladiator is the meaning of the arenaverse. Let your will say: the Gladiator shall be the meaning of the arenaverse.... The Duelist is a rope, tied between weak geeks and the Gladiator—a rope over the Ragefire Chasm ... what is great in the Duelist is that he is a bridge and not an end."

-Existential Gladiator Nietzsche


The Cancer That's Killing WoW as an E-Sport
Anyone who had the displeasure of viewing ESL Edmonton and MLG Orlando in their entirety would surely agree: the current WoW tournament scene is a tiresome cesspit. Nearly everyone projected Complexity Black as dominating the "competition" in both of these events, and that's precisely what happened. Nobody enjoys watching Complexity Black steamroll team after team with their beast-cleave composition, but whereas most blame their "overpowered" comp for these deadening matches, I shift the blame elsewhere:

It is my contention that Flex, Twixz and Toez are the only team in the current tournament scene that isn't a complete waste of a tournament spot.These other tournament regulars have proven, time after time, that they're strategically inept and utterly incapable of adapting.

How many times does the PHD/Beast Cleave have to disembowel your RMP before you make a change?  I recommend you reallocate all the time you spend brooding about how they "hard countered" you into practicing a second comp that stands a chance against, or maybe even counters, Beast Cleave. There's no excuse. Every team is allowed to run any comp that they wish. You're allowed 4 players on a roster, so it should be fairly undemanding to practice a second set-up.

I want to vomit whenever I hear one of these teams insist that they're "above playing a cheese comp" - that they should be commended for sticking with their single comp. If you show up to a tournament with only one comp up your sleeve, you're not being noble - you're just dumb and lazy. WoW has an element of Rock, Paper, Scissors, and you awful idiots simply continue to choose paper while Complexity Black just scissors their way to first place, tournament after tournament.

Let's look at the MLG 2009 Grand Finals in Orlando. The match that should have been an exciting battle between two of the best teams in the world. Instead, this is what we got: Complexity Red's brilliant plan to overcome the Beast Cleave menace was to have Sodah switch from his Priest to a Druid. A Druid.. against Beast Cleave. I know Duelists who were baffled by this terrible decision(this is an exaggeration, I don't actually allow Duelists into my perimeter). I'm sorry, but if a team that is capable of making such a massive tactical error as this is allowed to make it to the MLG Grand Final, the system is severely flawed.

Complexity Black is the best team in today's tournament scene by a large margin. Which is to say, they're the only team aware of how a tournament actually works. While their brain-dead opponents play each tournament the way they wish it was, Pragmatic Gladiators Flex, Twixz and Toez are playing the tournament the way it's meant to be played, and have been rewarded deservedly.

The tournament scene needs some fresh blood. The current teams are allowed to come to these events completely unprepared, and it's making every tournament increasingly tedious and nearly unwatchable. WoW as an e-sport cannot survive if it continues to be plagued by mediocre teams and predictable outcomes. The onus is on the players to make WoW a viable spectator e-sport, and they're not doing their jobs. To the sponsors I ask this: Please, drop your otiose team. There are plenty of unsponsored teams out there who would be willing to put in the effort, and in turn, save WoW as an e-sport

SELLING PETS IN WORLD OF WARCRAFT

I had a prarie dog which costs 40silver approx. from Thunder Bluff, sell for 74 g the other day. I laughed.

For Horde -

• Cockroaches from UC.
• Snakes from Org.
• Dragonhawks, from the vendor in Blood elf area. Tranquillen?
• Ancona Chicken - 1000 needles.
• Red moth eggs, Cats, etc from BC Consortium vendor in Netherstorm.
• Parrots from Booty Bay.

Buy these and sell them. Undercut if there is already sellers. If someone is selling for 100 g try 90g.
If NO OPPOSITION. try high like the Prarie Dog at 70g. Some moron will buy it.

EASY MONEY. Especially for low levels or new players or re-rollers ETC.

Enjoy!

I am unfamiliar with Alliance pets!

Simple and to the point ! Here goes -

Molten Core - Anywhere from 500 g to 3000g a run. Give or take a bit.

Sulfron Ingots used to make a legandary and many other 60BOE epics and fiery cores / lava cores. sell well

Each boss drops about 100g. Some don't drop any G.

Gruuls Lair - LOTS of G. Bosses drop a about 300-500g.

Mags Lair - LOTS of G. Bosses drop a about 100-200g. + BoEs?


OUTDOOR BC bosses.

- Doom Lord Kazzak. Leave a toon logged out next to him in Hellfire or close by. drop ALOT of G.

- Robot / Doomwalker. Outside Black temple. Drops ALOT of G. and a BOE. easy.


Anything else is usually too long or too painful. for Molten Core a Mole Machine helps, or a friend with one.




OPTIONAL
Deadmines normal - Wool cloth. 10g+ / stack DEPENDING ON REALM. great for a lowbie or new player.

Karazhan - More enjoyable with two people. About 200g to 1000 g a run.

Some good DE materials if you take along an enchanter.

Caverns of Time - Old Hillsbrad - BUY Rumsey Rum for a couple of silver. SELL on AH for a couple of G. 10g stack etc

Starting out / beginning to play world of warcraft.

One of my friends has recently started playing World of Warcraft. It brang back alot of memories of what and how I used to play when I started.

If your new to wow here are some tips:

• Sell grey items. This is called vendor trash. No one will buy it on AH unless it is something cool like a nice looking weapon for roleplay or bank alt toon. OR if its a novelty "fun" item. ( Which is rare)
• Soulbound means. its stuck on you. You cannot sell it on the Auction House or trade it to another player. Sucks but its fact of life.
• BOE ( Bind on equipt) means that when you use this item or put it on your character it will become soulbound. This means YOU CAN SELL IT !! For example if your playing a Hunter and Strength plate shoulders drop. whether they are green for commom. blue for rare. purple for epic. or orange for legandary ( yeah right legendary shoulders). You can sell this on the Auction House or to another player.
• SELL HIGH THEN SELL LOW. If you pick up a piece of gear or pattern and there is none other on the AH to undercut. Sell it for too much. List it up for 48 hours for a price of 20 gold. then try 15g then 10g. Chances are it will sell.
• SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR IMPORTANT SHIT. You need a mount to get around quicker and the training for that. You also need to go to your class trainer to learn your new abilities and spells. Dont waste money on holiday shit. or a blue belt with 5 more stamina that you throw away in 2 levels time.
• BOP ( Bind on pickup) This means when you pick an item or object up it will become soulbound meaning you cannot sell or trade or AH it to other players.
• JOIN a "Friendly fun social happy levelling fun raiding pve pvp bunny happy sociable people guild with tabard". Sure go ahead and make friends but their are only 2 things to do in WoW pvp and pve. if your not doing either your doing something boring. (just my opinion). Use these guilds for help with group quests. For help buying bags and mounts. etc.
• BUY NETHERWEAVE BAGS DONT PAY MORE THEN 10 GOLD OR SO. NUFF SAID.!
• HAVE FUN ( most important of all).!!

Cataclyms BGs as a rogue.

Everyone plays their toon differently. As a rogue I want to kill something as quickly as I can and GTFO. With every single player in cata having over 100,000hp. It feels alot slower. Sure the abilities hit harder but with MS being 10%? and many more abilities to do deal with killing someone now takes another 20 seconds longer. ( or so. )

I have tried playing my PVE combat spec in BG. I can cleave and pop a killing spree but after that racking up combo points with Sinister Strike just doesn't cut it. 1 Combo Point... 2 Combo Points..... 3 Combo Points...... You get my drift?

I tryed my PVE mutilate which differs little from pvp mute. I was able to stick on targets with deadly brew and spam envenoms into people, average sustained damage. But alas my gear is lacking with full 346 I have to play properly with no mistakes to succeed.

I then tryed the cream de le cream. Subtely. I tryed a build without Hemo that built combo points with Backstab. It felt very powerful and lots of mobility with shadowstep and 1min Cloak of Shadows. I don't like the positional requirements of backstab but alas thats how it goes.

If I pop on someone in a BG even if its a big brawl of like 4 on 4 or 10 v 10 etc. I always seem to get tunneled and trying to spin around doing a dance putting backstabs into someone is frustrating.

I might re-spec the old school Fist Dagger or Slow sword MH or slow Mace if one exists.

I'll try to post updates on how im going :)