The WoW Ironman Challenge — Warlock Final Ding!

Ironsally has made it to the lofty level of 85! Yay! Dancing in the streets! She modestly said she couldn’t have done it without her main man, or … er … tormented demon, Mak. Since I now have Fraps and WoW Model Viewer to play with, it was inevitable that I would attempt my first machinima to make a tribute to Sally. It is mercifully short, but it was fun to make.

At 84 and a half and one bar Sally and I were both tearing our hair out with frustration so the ban on Healthstones was lifted. It made the difference on a few quests that were blocking her way and leveling resumed. At three bars until 85 Sally was good and truly Cataclysm roadblocked. She absolutely could not down Haethen Kaul for Fight Fire and Water and Air with … I had thought this one going to be an easy quest with having the fire, water, and air wards but noooo it was not. He casts an Earthbolt that you can’t avoid and you aren’t protected from, so Sally didn’t stand a chance. I never noticed this with any other character and after one death I watched another player down him at level 83 and the Earthbolt had almost no effect on them.

Troggzor the Earthinator had proved impossible so far. He kept throwing Sally’s voidwalker about a mile away and running after him so the voidwalker was about dead before she could get into range to heal him. That left Kavem the Callous in Uldum. Not likely she could do it but she had to try. Nope, not even close.

Since Sally liked dying in the sunny weather she stuck around Uldum and killed some crocolisks hoping they’d flip for her. With rested bonus a level 83 gave over 8,000 XP. Killing a level 83 is about 60/40 in Sally’s favor. Sally was excited to find she could take care of those Thieving Little Pluckers, never had she felt such power as when wielding that mallet. She decided to scrounge around Uldum and see if Harrison Jones might not care if Sally had downed Kavem and stolen his key.

He didn’t care! He had quests for her. She could only manage Field Work and Do the World a Favor, she could not manage Just the Tip. Luckily she then remembered the quest chain with Anduin Wrynn. Sally returned to Stormwind and completed up to the part where she had to defend him from three attackers, yeah right, so not happening, she gave it her best but no luck.

Nothing to do but give Troggzor the Earthinator another try. Success! Sort of, I think Mak, Troggzor, and Sally all had about 5 hp left at the end but she outlasted him and that was with the help of a Healthstone. This opened up the roadblock and she managed to continue to 85.

I’ve learned a few things on this challenge. You don’t need heirlooms, you don’t need to obsessively upgrade gear every level like I have in the past. I don’t think it would be a great idea to queue for dungeons with gear 20 levels below you, but I think I’ll be fine with wearing something a few levels old.

I will no longer be looking askance at players I run across that seem to be doing something strange. I will now assume they’re on their own personal challenge and wish them luck with it. Although they really maybe did just forget to equip their weapon instead of a fishing pole, it could also be a “level with fishing pole equipped challenge”, you just never know.

I am grateful to Vrykerion at The Land of Odd and Psynister of Psynister’s Notebook for thinking up this challenge. I’ve really, really, enjoyed it. Okay, Sally and I may have panicked at that 84 and a half bit, but other than that it’s been more fun that I would have expected.

I last saw Sally in Uldum. I told her that it really wasn’t a safe place for her to hang around. She wouldn’t listen, she’s rather strong-willed. She wasn’t very happy at our parting, I have the feeling I’ll be seeing her again. I somehow don’t think she’s going to take up fishing and retire gracefully. I’ve even heard a rumor that she’s considering doing an endorsement for Tasty Puffballs.

Me? I think my main has some plans for me. She wants me to help get her guild to level 3, woohoo! I might do some rare spawn hunting. After that, who knows. Anyone got a good challenge in mind?

Want to try the WoW Ironman Challenge for yourself? The Ironman rules are at Psynister’s Notebook.