Beru’s “Blogscar” Vote!

Larisa has put together a list of topics that she asked the WoW Blog community to provide opinions for a “best of” 2009 list. Lath likened it to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences passing around the Oscars.  Ok…for one, I LOVE the Oscars.  All those gowns, all the shiny, the people magazine reviews talking about who was the worst dressed…

I digress.  Where was I?  Oh yes, Larisa’s list!  Loving WoW, and the Oscars, I thought I’d toss in my vote!

Best Raid Instance:  I think Ulduar, hands down.  It was beautifully designed, highly detailed, chalk full of lore and offered a good number of innovative encounters.  It was the first instance to truly embraced “hard modes”, which I have many opinions on, but the actual instance itself was just gorgeous.

Least Successful Raid Instance:  I know a lot of people said ToC here.  And I agree ToC felt like the filler content that it truly was, but a number of things came from the zone.  It truly served it’s purpose to gear people and get them ready for Ice Crown, with its quick, albeit boring, and highly PuGable design.  I am going to go out on a limb here and actually say that Naxxramas was the least successful.  Wha?  Yea…I know that they wanted everyone to see what was their crowning jewel of Vanilla WoW, but the content offered very little…challege.  The gear was almost too good, and the content undertuned.  The instance definitely announced their new “raids for all” stance quite clearly, but I think it could have been done by offering a little more difficulty in what was at one time one of the most difficult zones in the game.

Silliest Gold Sink:  At first I’d say a mechano-hog or tundra mammoth, both of which I own, but when I really thought about the silliest thing I spent gold on it was buying frostweave so I could get the 500 bandage achievement.  I *never* use them on Beru, being a healer.  I think I’ve got the same stack of 20 that I had when I was leveling!  So, I’d definitely say that buying over priced cloth for a silly achievement is, well, silly! 🙂

Most Longed for Instance:  I think this is a toss-up between Ulduar and Ice Crown.  While it’s easy to say Ice Crown, especially as it is the pinnacle of this expansion, I do not forget how I longed for patch 3.2 while we were endlessly farming Naxx.

Most Juicy Guild Drama:  Hmmm…this one is kinda tough, largely because I don’t think I’ve read about a ton!  I think I’d probably say that Keeva had a rough go of it right after Ulduar released and her guild master left for greener pastures, leaving the rest of the guild in a lurch and Keeva with the purse strings trying to keep everything glued together.  Even more interesting, as I have just recently discovered *stalks the inexorable forums*, is that after having slowly regrouped to run 10 mans and then making the decision to return to 25s, the former guild master has app’d to her rebuilt guild o.O  (Good Luck with that Keeva, and grats on your ICC successes!).

Biggest Addition to the Game:  I’m having a really hard time deciding between Dual Specs and the new Dungeon Finder System!  In the end, I think Dual Specs wins out.  It provided huge flexibility at all levels of the game, and was an extremely valuable asset.

Best Quest:  I immensely enjoyed the Wrathgate questline.  The questline, and the video, are just fabulous.  I think that, hands down, this is probably one of the most memorable questlines in WoW.  That being said, Thorim’s questline out in storm peaks was quite well done as well.

Ugliest Tabard:  Is all of them an option? 🙂  I, personally, just hate tabards in general.  I like to see my armor, and I find most tabards to be equally horrible.

Favourite Non-Combat Pet:  I wonder if I can throw Elina into a fit by voting for the Panderian Monk or Lil’ KT 😉  Alas, while I do adore them, they are not my favorite.  I think that vote has to go to the sprite darter hatchling that finally became available to the horde!  My shiny, new, spectral kitten is a close second though!

Most Charming Blizzard Employee:  I think that Netharea wins my vote for this one.  She is fun and playful, all while providing the information we need from her.  I wonder how she keeps that thick skin moisturized! 

Best Podcast:  I abstain from voting in this column, never having listened to a single one 😉

Biggest Blog Facelift:  I really, really like what Keeva did over at Tree Bark Jacket!  I am hugely envious of her artistic abilities!

Most Memorable Blog Post: Phaelia’s goodbye.  I was very sad to see her take her leave, but extremely happy to know that she was embarking on a new and exciting quest in her life!

Most Noticed Blogger Breakthrough:I am not entirely certain how long she has been blogging (*ahem* no monthly/annual archive list on the blog! ;)), but Miss Medicina certainly got the spotlight’s attention with her fabulous Circle of Healers questionnaire!  I thought it was innovative, and she did a super job of keeping track of everyone’s answers!

Most Solid Content Provider:  Hrm…I suppose that Tank Spot is much too large to be considered a blog 🙂  Although their writers do a fantastic job.  I think that this is tough, as there are many different types of content available: Kae has fantastic all around Druid, UI, and 10 man strategy information; The Fluid Druid did a really great feral leveling guide for young druids, and has provided some really great guides on 5 man zones. Tamarind’songoing commentary on difficult social situations he encounters draws very much on the social challenges of the game, Verile did an excellent guide to keybindings and macros, and Lissana has put together a very strong leveling and healing guide for druids.

Most Hugged Blogger:  Sorry, I can’t pick just one! Keredria always makes me laugh, even if she is a “chick” ;), I absolutely adore Tamarind and can’t get enough of his humor and keen insight into the WoW universe, Lath and Cass are just fantastic…and love peachbellinis! And…last but not least, I don’t know how I can’t hug Lash: He’s a troll with a dog named Lunchbox irl.

How about all of you?  What are your votes?!

Oh…and let’s add a new category!  Worst Dressed:  OMG YES!  My vote is TOTALLY going with Druid T10…wtf is UP with that helm? 😉