Spec 'Splosion

Well, I've got an annoying visual glitch on Casavel, my paladin over on WRA. Or more specifically, on her talents. Armory, and the game itself, both claim that for all intents and purposes I have a level 19 paladin, when in fact she's a 68. Armory shows I have a 0/10/8 build when I know its actually 0/51/8, with a planned 0/51/20. The game can't display anything past my first 10 points in protection. She does not have a dual spec, or even glyphs at this point. And she's the only character I've leveled since 3.1 came out... boy am I glad I don't need to put any points in the Prot Tree.

From reading a few forum posts, and talking to a friend over xfire, it sounds as though the glitch may be linked to dual specs. Or the new preview thing that Blizzard introduced. Jury's still out on that one, and I could see it being either.

I'm just worried that if she hits 69 the Ret tree will gray out like Prot did and I'll be stuck unable to spend points. I really do want to play my paladin, but with issues seemingly plaguing WoW, perhaps its time to test run War? I know, Tzia wondering about Warhammer... feel free to cringe. I know I am.

Does Your Character Have A Soul?

The question seems simple enough. Some people would argue no it does not. Its just colored pixels, the way a warlock's pet is just colored bits of light and data. Nothing more.

I say differently. Each character I play and interact with is different, even if it shares a name with another character. Tzia is my primary moniker in WoW, everyone knows me as Tzia, the hunter. I've had my main hunter, the troll, Tzia since at least mid July 2005. I've also had a few Night Elf, Draenei, Orc, and even a Tauren Tzia.

Yet, each one, weither played on a RP Realm or not, feels different; and not just from racials. My main has Ruka, her Pridewatcher. The others have various pets with other names scattered over the known WoW-verse. My Night Elves are always a touch timid, the tauren charged into everything, bull-like to the core, my draenei were always drawn to water. The orc? Just a bit stubborn, but drawn, if I remember correctly, to the wolves of Mulgore.

I always feel most at home playing my main hunter with Ruka next to her. The pet in part makes it home, and any time I play a Tzia, it feels weird to look down and not see Ruka next to her. Yet I wouldn't dream of taming just any old cat and naming it Ruka. Ruka is unique, different, and is only the troll's companion.

The other Tzia's, scattered from 12-55, are almost empty shells, without their stories or personalities told. I haven't played them enough to decide who they are individually. They do share a name, but that is all they share. Each will develop their own personality. I don't believe in cookie cutter of much of anything (even spec). The slightly sarcastic, raised by orcs, fiercely proud of Orgrimmar and the Horde doesn't come through on anyone except the troll. That IS her in-game persona. And even though I am Horde First, and the character gets that from me I can be comfortable enough in an alliance skin to play.

So does this mean that my troll has a soul? I think it does. She is my favorite character after all. The one I've put the most time into. So, it would stand to reason that she is unique, her personality fully developed, and a glimmer of a spark that could be called a soul exists somewhere inside.

Word of a woman that knows...

The Hunter's Mark today asked what music do you listen to while playing WoW, if any? I've been asking guildies this for a while now, some to the point they want to kill me, I think (Hey, that has to be the reason they drag my undergeared butt into Heroics).

Anyways, as my guild mates know, I'm largely into older music, most of which is older than I am. Fleetwood Mac, I have too many favorites to name. Queen, John Mellencamp (or John Cougar or John Cougar Mellencamp), Madonna, GNR, Def Leppard, Journey, and April Wine.

I also prefer some more modern music, heck, my hunter theme song is an Inkubus Sukkubus song! And I will go into listening kicks, listen to one band back to back until I tire of it, then swap out to another one. I recently went and bought a Journey album because that was what I was craving. If they'd had the right John Mellencamp in stock, I would have gotten that too, but they didn't.

Music for Raids and Instances? Easy for me, since my guild is not using Vent at this time. It would be a mix of GNR, Def Leppard, Inkubus Sukkubus, and April Wine, if I had the brains to mix a cd. My favorite 3 songs, one from each of the older bands... GNR - Sweet Child O' Mine. Def Lepard - Love Bites. April Wine - Sign of the Gypsy Queen. All three can be found easily on youtube.

Sweet Child
Love Bites
Gypsy Queen

And I was kind enough to track down the studio made video from Youtube. Some of the live versions just aren't as good. If you want to try and prove me wrong, feel free, but I've listened to most the live stuff too.

For just general running around doing dailies and chatting with guildies? Madonna, FWM, Savage Garden, Jewel. More mellow things. I don't need my blood pounding while I'm doing dailies, but it does keep my mind occupied. And my guy will stare over at me if I start singing to whatever I'm listening to. I don't even realize I do it until he's staring at me. And listening to the game and music through headphones... well.. hehe.

I know my play-list is largely inspired by my mother and what she listened to while I was growing up. I grew up with Fleetwood Mac, April Wine, REO Speedwagon, and Mellencamp as part of my daily life, which means its part of my memories.

Well, that's my music, what's yours?