Rift: Where to Go and What to Do after Level 50

A discussion on what a new Level 50 should be doing.
http://www.riftjunkies.com/forums/showthread.php?2492-Content-Flow

More on endgame progression from an interview with Trion.
http://www.riftjunkies.com/2010/12/17/rifts-endgame-progression-and-raids-explained/

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Rift: Combat Parsing

This Is Not A Rift has a wonderful two part explanation of combat parsing and how to use it on their site.
http://thisisnotarift.blogspot.com/2011/02/combat-parsing-part-1.html

http://thisisnotarift.blogspot.com/2011/02/combat-parsing-part-2.html

By the way, Rift Junkies has a combat parser.  I've put it on the Favorite Links list on the right side of the page.
http://www.riftjunkies.com/combat-parser/

They also have a new discussion about using combat parsers on their site.  These are controversial because combat parsers are used to analyze raid performance.  Guilds can use this tool to exclude players who are inexperienced or who are a bit confused about their roles instead of educating members.  Rift players are eager not to have the game turn into WOW, in other words.
http://www.riftjunkies.com/2011/03/25/ear-to-the-rift-to-parse-or-not-to-parse/#more-6367

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Nameplates and Cooldown Monitors

No Stock UI has found two new addons to help raiders.  One is a nameplate addon for PvP called Docs Nameplates.
http://www.nostockui.com/2010/11/docs-nameplates/

The other is called Flump.  It keeps track of when any player activates a raid cooldown, a portal or drops a feast, and also when the activated ability wears off.
http://www.nostockui.com/2010/11/what-can-flump-do-for-you/

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Group Behavior

MMOs have other people in them.  And where you have other people, you have other people whose behavior is going to annoy you no end.  The Pot drew my attention to a post by Tamarind about how people act in the dungeon finder.  Just what is acceptable behavior in groups?
http://www.mmomeltingpot.com/2010/11/righteous-orbs-on-acceptable-standards-in-group-settings/

Blessing of Kings looks at this controvery, explaining how Frostheim set it off and his reactions.
http://blessingofkings.blogspot.com/2010/11/outvoted.html

Here's the article in full.
http://www.righteousorbs.com/?p=2711

The only thing you can do about it is laugh, to tell you the truth.  Tam knows this and posted a quick audio of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" reworked as a raid.  For those who know the Tennyson poem, this is hilarious.
http://www.righteousorbs.com/wp-content/uploads/charge-of-the-light-brigade.mp3

And he's not the only one laughing at group behavior.  Here's Jasyla's take on how to fit in while doing dungeon finder raids.
http://www.cannotbetamed.com/2010/11/17/lfd-how-to-fit-in/

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Cataclysm Raid Healing Video

Matticus has done a video of PvE raid healing as it is unfolds in the Cataclysm beta.  The video covers the first two bosses in the ten man version of Bastion of Twilight.
http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2010/11/09/video-a-preview-of-cataclysm-raid-healing/

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Invasion, Raid Markers and Low Level Crafting Profession News

Phase 2 of the Elemental Invasion is proceeding.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/08/elemental-invasion-phase-2-begins/

Cataclysm beta is changing the raid markers.  The second link has video and says these can be set as ground targets.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/07/cataclylsm-beta-new-raid-markers/

http://www.frostnova.ch/tachyon/blogArticle.do?action=view&topic=New%20Raidmarkers%20in%20Cataclysm

Cataclysm will also apparently no longer allow lower level alts for some crafting professions.  Details here.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/insider-trader-no-more-low-level-crafting-alts/


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All About Crowd Control (By Class)

BBB mentioned this summary article about crowd control and how it is done by class.  Spells and abilities that the various classes use are described with photos with practical applications listed.
http://sharpenyourclaws.blogspot.com/2010/11/so-i-think-it-is-time-for-another.html

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Running Instances with Twinks

WOW Insider interviews a guild that has a group of low level characters they run instances with for the challenge of it.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/03/15-minutes-of-fame-pve-twinks-turn-lowbie-instances-devilishly/

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The Greedy Goblin Invents the Wintergrasp Battleground-Kick Addon

Blessings of Kings talks about the Greedy Goblin's latest idea, an addon that kicks folks from Battlegrounds if they aren't contributing.  This works something like the way the raid-kick feature works in dungeon finder and as far as I know, it is for Wintergrasp only.
http://blessingofkings.blogspot.com/2010/11/leechers-and-automatic-group-creation.html

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Preview of WOW Raiding Documentary

A detailed preview of the almost finished documentary about raiding entitled "The Raid."
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/01/the-raid-movie-documentary-examines-wow-raiding/#continued

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The Raiding Benefits of Professions in Cataclysm

Blacksen takes a look at how the various professions will help the Cataclysm raider.
http://blacksen.com/archives/813

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List of Pet and Raid Buffs

Now that pet buffs will help the entire raiding party, it is important to know what all the pet buffs are.  Frostheim has come up with a list.  Make sure you check the Comments for more information.  I've put this link in the Hunter tab but the information is important enough I wanted to post it here, too.
http://www.warcrafthuntersunion.com/2010/10/cataclysm-hunter-pet-and-raid-buffs/

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How to Tell the Good Green Goo from the Bad UPDATED

With visual aids.  Seriously!
http://dreambound-druid.blogspot.com/2010/10/effloresence-know-your-green-goo.html

UPDATE:  WOW Insider has posted photos of various healing spells such as Holy Word, Power Word, Healing Rain, Efflorescence with some information about how they are used.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/raid-rx-tell-your-raid-to-stand-in-glowing-circles/#continued

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Welcome to Chaos

By now Patch 4.0.1 is in full swing.  Everyone's talents are trashed and they are scrambling to fix their glyphs and gems.  The Auction House and normal functions of one's UI are broken or missing.  There are problems accessing one's bank account.  Many addons don't work.  There are bugs in the raids.  (The Solo MMO Player was stuck in Halls of Reflection for hours last night, unable to exit or switch to another character.)  Most of the body of information that has been accumulated online to help players is outdated, including most of what is on this site.  I've also heard that a great many guilds are telling certain classes not to raid because they've been nerfed.  There was so much chaos earlier in the week that the trolls weren't even on the chat line.  Currently there is a constant background clicking going on in-game as players switch this and that.

The worst part is that this mess is just Blizzard's way of having a world-wide beta paid for by the players.  I expect they are watching all the problems and bugs and making a list of those they want to fix before Cataclysm arrives.  Cynical?  No, this is just how Blizzard treats their customers.  All this is for their convenience, not yours.

It's not a happy time.  When you think that you are going to be playing in a Patch 3.3.5 world with Patch 4.0.1 characters until after December 7--if you buy Cataclysm--and forever if you don't, well, this is a Bet the Company move on Blizzard's part.

Do you really want to continue to play this game?

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The Decline of 25 Man Raids: Cause or Effect

Is Cataclysm the death of 25 man raids?  Why is this happening?
http://blacksen.com/archives/680

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Advice on Melee DPS from A Healer

What does a healer know about melee DPS?  Lots, actually.
http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2010/10/08/how-to-melee-dps-without-making-healers-cry/

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Effective Raid Leadership

An interesting essay on becoming a better raid leader.
http://blacksen.com/archives/446

New MMO Leadership website, started in Patch 4.0.1.
http://www.mmoleader.com/

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Assign Your Blame Properly: A Flow Chart

Thanks to the Melting Pot, I can share this article about how to properly assign blame for a wipe.
http://rootbranch.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/on-accountability/

Put your drink down before you click on the link and start reading.

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Frostwing Halls on 10- and 25-man Normal

How to get through Frostwing Halls in ICC on normal mode.
http://morrighan13.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/icc-10-and-25-man-normal-crib-sheet-the-frostwing-halls/

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Decursive Removes Buffs and WOWGlory Lists Missing Achievements

How to use Decursive to remove buffs from yourself and others, with setup hints.
http://wowalone.blogspot.com/2010/09/decursive-other-weapon-in-my-healing.html

How to use WOWGlory to figure out who in your guild needs which achievements.
http://graymatterwow.blogspot.com/2010/09/raid-tools-wowglorycom.html

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