Tuesday: The Mechanar. Been there once, but wiped at the first boss. Second try, we cleared the place. Not without problems, but in the end it wasn’t all that hard. The item I wanted from that first boss didn’t drop 🙁 But I did get the first part for the Arcatraz Key.

Wednesday: The Botanica. On patch day. Never a smart idea. Instance was bugged. Bosses were a piece of cake, but the non-elite trash wiped us like crazy. We skipped two bosses, cause it was taking too long. But, cleared it in the end and got the second part of the Arcatraz Key. Here we come Arca!

Today: The Arcatraz. Nice group, went pretty well. Wipe at the entrance, really stupid. Wipe at the third boss…. and two of the group had to leave. Sucked! We found another healer though. And another DPS. So, on we went. One wipe after that, another DPS left. Konama lost focus, he said. But he was going to regret leaving! Last boss was a blast! One of the funniest bosses I’ve seen so far. But, more important, in the room before the last boss: The Third Key Fragment.  And the body of Seer Udalo. So, all pieces for Karazhan key completed and quest in the chain for Verdant Gloves completed.

Then to finish the chain for those gloves. Tough puppy, specially since it’s a 5-man quest and I could only find 1 person. Thanks Reîq! But, we did it! With only two! So, Verdant Gloves, here I come! Finally!

Next step is Black Morass, hopefully tomorrow. After that, I’m attuned for Karazhan!

After grinding my way to 355 leatherworking to make Heavy Clefthoof Leggings and Heavy Clefthoof Boots and then to 360 to make Heavy Clefthoof Vest, I finally completed my Strength of the Clefthoof set. It gives me a total of 1397 armor, 108 stamina and 74 defense rating. And, for equiping all items, a +20 strength bonus. Combine that with a total of 4 yellow sockets and 4 blue sockets, which I filled with Solid Star of Elunes (+12 stamina) and Enduring Talasites (+4 defense rating and +6 stamina), I get a grand total of 108 + (4 x 12) + (4 x 6) = 180 stamina and 74 + (4 x 4) = 90 defense rating. Pretty good for a crafted set, huh?

Then, I grinded my ass off till I got the mats for a Stylin’ Purple Hat! Someone offered to craft it for me if I got the mats, so… hell yeah! It’s the best tanking headpiece for a druid in the game, with 232 armor, +48 agility and +45 stamina. I mean, come on, a little hat like that, 232 armor? Madness. And, best of all, it’s STYLIN’!

And, I got myself a Braxxis’ Staff of Slumber, a great tank staff. It may be a level 64 staff, but it’s one of the best weapons I can get my hands on, until I’m exalted with Cenarion Expedition, so I can get Earthwarden.

All I need now are new shoulders, which are a real pain. I’m trying to get me Shoulderpads of Assassination, but they look stupid in a Tauren. I might give up on those and go for Moonglade Shoulders, which look kinda cool, but aren’t as good. And I’m looking into getting Skystalker’s Shoulders of the Beast (or the Bandit), when I get to see them.

Anyway, this is what I look like now (when I’m actually in combat, I wear High Warlord’s Dragonhide Spaulders, but they look stupid with my new set).

(Click for full size)

Too much? Impossible.

Found this though:

Yeah. I’m an addict. Sue me.