How to Run a Guild Bank

Matticus is doing a series of guest posts on various blogs.  For Warcraft Econ, he talks about how to run a guild's bank, all the way from setting up a bank for your guild to dismantling a bank if the guild is disbanding.  Good basic information!
http://www.warcraftecon.net/?p=2025

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Tanks and Their Glass Ceiling

Yesterday's posting about Gear Pollution has been immediately followed by a new posting from Honor's Code about tanks and their glass ceiling today.  Game design decisions seem to be interesting a lot of players, perhaps because we are close to a major patch and know that Cataclysm will hit sometime next year.
http://honorscode.blogspot.com/2009/12/glass-ceiling-for-tanks.html

Pwnwear's original tanking post that sparked this interest is here.
http://pwnwear.com/2009/11/19/number-of-tanks-required-a-game-design-issue/

If these sorts of postings interest you, search on "game design" at the top left area of the page to find more.

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Lore (with Spoilers)

This morning found two postings that center on WOW lore.  The first is full of spoilers!  WOW Insider points us to Scrolls of Lore which has compiled all sorts of worgen starting zone information from the tidbits that Blizzard has dropped. I'm linking to WOW Insider instead of directly to Scrolls of Lore so you can decide just how much you want to read before Cataclysm hits.
http://www.wow.com/2009/12/04/worgen-starting-zone-preview-from-scrolls-of-lore/

World of Matticus' had a nice article up about that details the history of legendary weapons in the game with some lore background about each.  You can read a bit about weapons that were greatly lusted over in the original version of the game all the way up to the new Shadowmourne two handed axe.
http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/12/04/return-of-the-truly-legendary-items/

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Guides to Playing a Mage (and Laughing)

Thanks to the Hots and Dots column just mentioned below, I have some new mage guides for players to browse.  First up is Psynister's Notebook which has a recent (October 2009) multi-part series that was recommended as excellent for leveling mages.  Only the first two parts are up so this only goes to Level 39.  I'll add new articles as they appear.  Note that there are other guides on this site for Druids, Hunters, Paladins and Shamans.  Click on the Guides tab to see them.
http://psynister.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/mage-leveling-part-i-beginning/

http://psynister.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/mage-leveling-part-ii-21-39/

http://psynister.wordpress.com/2009/12/29/mage-leveling-part-iii-40-58/

The mages at Empowered Fire have a guide to playing a mage once you hit Level 80 (November 2009).  Besides specs for the various types of mages, they have a list of instances that offer good gear for mages and list crafted items also.
http://www.empoweredfire.com/2009/11/02/ding-80-now-what-the-guide/

They also have a mage leveling guide (October 2009),
http://www.empoweredfire.com/2009/10/23/mage-leveling-guide/

plus a raiding guide for mages in Patch 3.2,
http://www.empoweredfire.com/2009/10/05/mage-raiding-guide-3-2-2/

AND a guide for Arcane Mages in Patch 3.2.  I know Patch 3.3 is likely to hit next week but you still may want to read this information as it is current.
http://www.empoweredfire.com/2009/10/05/arcane-in-3-2-2/

They also host this hilarious video of how to play a mage.  Even I (and I don't play WOW) fell over laughing while watching it.
http://www.empoweredfire.com/2009/11/19/how-to-play-a-mage/

The Empowered Fire ladies are my favorite mage site of the day!

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Where Have All the Mages Gone?

Cassandri over at Hots and Dots says her guild can't find any mages.   She wonders if it is just her realm or if mages and warlocks are not played much these days.
http://www.hotsdots.com/2009/12/mages/

The comments led me to several good mage sources which I'll post separately.  Thanks to all Cassandri's readers for help!

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Arcane Mage Guide to PvE

From the WOW Forums, a guide to the arcane mage (with rotation).
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=19820881780&sid=1

Another arcane mage guide to PvE from October 2009 (Patch 3.2.2)
http://www.frostnova.ch/tachyon/blogArticle.do?action=view&id=35487744

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Mages at 80: Guide to Raiding

From the WOW Forums, a guide to playing a Level 80 mage (dated December 2009).
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=18031073739&sid=1

Guide to end game raiding for mages (dated June 2009).
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=18031238370&sid=1

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Mage PvP Tips for Battlegrounds

Undated but extensive tips for mages doing PvP against specific classes.  Note the other mage guides in left hand column.  (Most seem outdated to me.)
http://www.epic-warcraft.com/magepvpguide.php

Tips for mages playing PVP on the battleground, dated April 2008.
http://internet-games.suite101.com/article.cfm/wow_mage_pvp_guide

Solo mage tips from the same site.  Very basic.
http://videoonlinegames.suite101.com/article.cfm/wow_mage_tips

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Gear Pollution and Raid Progression (with Charts!)

Fascinating discussion of how Blizzard has designed raids in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion.  If you are interested in game design, read this.
http://wowhats.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/gear-pollution/

UPDATE:  Codi adds to the discussion on the topic of Rewards.
http://moarhps.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/re-gear-pollution/

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Ten Ton Hammer Feral Druid Guide

Ten Ton Hammer talks feral druids in this installment of their theory crafting guide to various classes (dated September 2009).
http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/74432

They've also recently done a general druid gear guide.  It doesn't look as useful to me but new druids might want to take a look at it.
http://www.tentonhammer.com/wow/guides/classes/druid/equipment

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