(Part 2) Best products from r/wow

As someone who was your husband in almost this exact situation a few years ago, I hope my own insights will help:

1. The game is 100% not the problem. Addressing the game/game time, or video game 'addiction' will backfire and fail to solve the real issue. Anyone who is focusing on the game as the problem is missing the point, and real root cause.
   
2. The real issue, to quote Johan Harri is "We've created a culture where really large numbers of the people around us can't bear to be present in their daily lives. They need to medicate themselves to get through their day.” The way he views his life is what drives him into the game to escape.
   
   The periods of my life when WoW consumed everything else were always characterized by these things:
   
   
3. Lack of hope. There was no future to look forward to. I could find no reason to believe things would ever get better. For many men, this ties back to their career, which is interwoven with their self-worth. Fortunately, the one thing that can give a man the courage to make a career leap is his spouse. I would try and have a careful, listening conversation about how he feels about his current job, and what he's not getting there, and/or what he really wants to do.
   
4. Lack of connection. Johan Harri's book Lost Connections ( https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Connections-Uncovering-Depression-Unexpected/dp/163286830X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3QI0RYZFM4CDW&keywords=johann+hari&qid=1573232250&s=books&sprefix=johann+%2Caps%2C173&sr=1-2 ) goes into this(addiction/depression) in depth, and is 100% worth your time to read, given what you're going through.
   
5. Lack of Presence. This may sound a little wu-wu or hokey, but reading/studying mindfulness has made a HUGE difference in my life. Introducing him to that somehow might be a game-changer (pun not intended). Just changing the way I viewed my life has allowed me to go into the same job with joy that was crushing my soul years before. Eckhart Tolle was my gateway into that, but there are others like Sam Harris that are more Western in their approach.
   
   In terms of what actions to take, firstly, be encouraged by his willingness to go to a counselor. Not every guy is self-aware enough to want to change. That's a great sign that he sees his own issue.
   
   Second, educate yourself on what's really going on, and for that I'd recommend both of Johann's books (I swear I'm not getting paid haha). This will help you avoid blaming the game, and focus on the emotional issues that drive him there. https://www.amazon.com/Johann-Hari/e/B00NEUY9BY/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
   
   Third, listen to any clues as to the real cause, i.e. his career disappointments, his desire for something more meaningful to spend his 9 hours a day on besides accounting, etc. and consider your own ability to be a driving force to move that boulder.
   
   Just taking the time to seek help here is evidence that you really love him, so he's got a good thing going already!
   
   Best of luck to you both!

In addition to everything else that's been said, if this is the MSI GL62M or the Dell Inspiron 7000 Gaming (7567), I would not recommend it. The display quality in both of these models is very poor. They render a grayish gradient in place of solid black, and produce an overall washed-out picture.

For gaming in particular a poor quality display can be considered to defeat some of the purpose of buying a gaming laptop: to make games look better. For gaming, I would make your priorities: Good GPU + Good Display. You will notice those the most. CPU will matter less since both the i5 quad and i7 quad are plenty for most games when paired with a GTX 1050 or Ti, RAM is easily upgradable, and SSD is easily upgradable.

---


One of the best values going right now is the Eluktronics N850HK1. Same thing as the Sager NP6852, but cheaper and from a different reseller. It comes with:

• A GTX 1050 Ti (just like the GL62M, the best GPU you'll get for this price)
  
• One of the best 1920x1080 IPS displays there is (The LG LP156WF6-SPB1, to be technical)
  
  EDIT: Model I linked is the $899 1080p+1TB model which is currently sold out. Currently redirects to the $999 4K model, which uses a PenTile not-true-4K display. I would recommend waiting until the $899 1080p+1TB model comes back in stock. There's also a $999 1080p+SSD model.
  
  Other models with decent GPUs and decent displays:
  
  
• Acer Aspire VX 15 ($999, display quality is a lot better than the GL62M/Inspiron7567 but not quite as good as the Eluktronics N850HK1)
  
• MSI GE62-239 ($999, similar GPU, display somewhere between the VX 15 and N850HK1)
  
• HP Omen 15 (less good value unless you get a discount/coupon)
  
• HP Pavilion Power 15 (less good value unless you get a discount/coupon)
  
• Lenovo Y520 (should be $899 with GTX 1050 and similar display to the Acer VX 15, when released this month)
  
  Models I would suggest to avoid due to poor quality displays:
  
  
• Dell Inspiron 7000 Gaming (7566 & 7567; 7559 is fine but GPU is lower)
  
• Sager NP5855
  
• Prostar N855HJ
  
• MSI GL62M, models with the "Vivid Color 94%" display
  
• MSI GP62MVR, unless the specs specifically state IPS-level
  
• ASUS GL502VT, Best Buy model with the 970M
  
• ASUS K501UW, ZX53VW, FX502VM, FZ50VW, ZX50VW (update: ZX53VW display is good! I was mistaken)
  
  If you're less focused on Gaming and GPU, there may be other options worth considering. Check /r/SuggestALaptop for more info.

I'll chime in with my love not of a mouse, but the Logitech G13 gamepad. A year ago I researched and asked around at length about this device vs. the Naga or G600. I went with the gamepad and I wish I bought one sooner. So much customization. You get the same functionality as these "keypad" mice, but with more keys and you're not stuck just using your 1 thumb to access all those buttons. With the G13 you have all your digits lined up in place for your next move. No "player lag" because you didn't move your thumb quick enough. I even found the thumbstick to be very natural for strafing when used with mouse turning, very tight focused movements while leaving your fingers free. I didn't expect to rely on it at all before hand.

I have the G13 paired up with an G700, it's 4 thumb buttons are perfect for modifiers while it's additional left click buttons are nice for quick target selecting, setting focus, fight specific macro stuff etc...

The G13 has a big learning curve, most owners say a couple weeks until you get comfortable with it, for me it was more like a month and it required a lot of reteaching my brain and learning how to use my off hand on a keypad more efficiently. It was totally worth it.

*With the 22 basic keys, addition buttons, auto macro switching, etc... I never touch my keyboard at all anymore unless I'm typing. I can do everything from opening bags, emotes, mounting, every spell and action in my book all from this thing. I love it.

As far as brands go, you can't go wrong with an asus or a lenovo. I build most of my own computers but if I need a laptop I go with either of those two. Make sure the computer has at least 8 gb of ram, a 900 series gpu, and at minimum an i5 processor. At that price range you could also probably find one with a solid state drive as well and that would greatly improve quality of life. (it wouldn't really help running the game faster or better, but it will definitely improve load times and the computer booting/loading faster.

I actually bought this laptop as a gift for my wife a few weeks ago, I installed wow on it and it ran great on medium settings with 100+fps. You could probably run on max if you wanted to, I just tried to keep it lightweight to save battery life.

http://www.amazon.com/K501UX-15-inch-Gaming-Processor-Windows/dp/B0146DD02G/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1458920626&sr=1-1&keywords=asus&refinements=p_n_feature_four_browse-bin%3A2289793011%7C2289792011%2Cp_89%3AAsus%2Cp_n_feature_five_browse-bin%3A7817224011%2Cp_n_feature_twelve_browse-bin%3A9521908011

^^ this one has the 6th generation i7, 900 series gpu, and a sizable solid state drive for 800$ even.

I think it should be good. I've had this Asus for 3.5 years and still play wow on it.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0146DD02G/
And the MX250 does outperform the 950M
https://technical.city/en/video/GeForce-GTX-950M-vs-GeForce-MX250

now, it also depends on what exactly you mean by playing wow. I don't raid or do competitive pvp on it. But for questing, low level bgs, playing the auction house, solo old raids for mounts, etc. it is perfectly fine.
I still play overwatch on it on lowest settings, but it does occasionally feel like it lags a little. It did ok for fortnight too but havent played that in quite a while.
For mine at least, and maybe it's partly battery age, but I pretty much use it as a portable desktop. I have it plugged in, external monitor mouse & keyboard. It struggles hard when not plugged in.

If it is to be your primary comp and you intend to raid or competitive pvp, you should definitely try to get a better opinion.

Hope this is helpful :)

I would recommend Final Fantasy: XIV A Realm Reborn

Here is their 14 day free trial

It is not as grindy as FFXI

You can learn and level every class (Blacksmith is a class like Gladiator or Conjurer)

There is not a talent system as the customization comes more from items like set bonuses on gear or a weapon that has a special ability etc.

You do get to allocate stat points when you level tho, which is very DnD.

They have an expansion coming out in about 3 months so I expect it to be around for the long haul, not to mention that they got a new producer and remade the game from its vanilla launch, so they are pretty damned invested.

EverQuest 2:

The biggest problem EQ2 has is that when a veteran goes back and logs onto an old toon the screen is just covered with ability vomit, old spells that have been removed from the game still on the hotbar, macros that dont work because spells are no longer in game, AAs that have changed so a full respec is needed...

Even if you use the new suggested specs you still have to relearn the game and there is just a lot to go over.

I have logged in twice since the player made dungeons took over leveling, once to use my free boost on my SK to 85 and then again recently to boost her to 90.

WoW has alleviated a lot of this. During cataclysm they revamped the talent system which was very much like what EQ2 still is.

Now WOW has a Diablo 3 style talent system where you can choose spells every 15 levels, but you can also spec out each individual spell and choose a different one for a cheap reagent.

WoW has very little character customization compared to EQ2. It is very simple and extremely restrictive. The talent tree is oversimplified and offers zero customization. They effectively killed all professions with WoD the latest expansion, not that the profession system was ever any good, you simply picked up whatever gave you BiS gear for the current raid tier and moved along after it gave you a few raid kills before a raid drop upgrade.

The group content is not challenging at all with two specific exceptions, Challenge Mode dungeons and Mythic raids.

You can download the Starter Edition. it lets you level to 20. This will let you get into dungeons, sue the Dungeon Finder (LFG) and also see the talent system and mounts and pets etc.

If you decide to buy it then when you login you will see (on the starter edition) a big layover that shows the Lich King suitting on his throne all blue and such and it will say $19.99 UPGRADE TODAY AND GET 50% off!

Click on the UPGRADE NOW button on the left and you can get it for $5 (ignore the 19.99 the battle chest costs $10 now and the upgrade still gives you 50% off so it is $5.

it will open your account and show you that it is $5.

The latest expansion, Warlords of Draenor costs $49.99 via the BNET store.

Wal Mart sells it for $39.99 so does Amazon

There is nothing else, no Adventure Packs, no zone locks, no AH restrictions etc. It does cost $15/month but I would imagine that you may be here because SOE is now Daybreak and WoW announced the WoW Token which is the same as KRONOS.

Total: $44.99

Also, much to my chagrin, there simply is nothing better, not that WoW is ZOMGTEHBESTEST, I will just ship like a rat when anything comes out even remotely close to being better (SWTOR, WildStar). When they tank, I end up back here.

I recommend a game pad.
https://www.amazon.com/RAZER-ORBWEAVER-CHROMA-Progammable-Adjustable/dp/B013P0HW7K/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=gamepad+pc&qid=1562156777&s=gateway&sprefix=game+pad&sr=8-3

I wouldnt play the game without it. I bind one key to shift, one to alt, and one to tab. The rest are 1 through =. This gives you 36 quick key binds and a thumb stick. Everything is always in reach.

I use bartender and shape the bars to be 4x3 so they coincide with the shape of the game pad. Everything is at a glance.

It takes a week or so to get used to, but it’s easy on your hands and it makes wow amazing.

Good luck!

It depends on how much it interests you.

You can play the whole game without reading any lore if you want.

To get the story of a certain area or zone - read the quests and do your best to do the whole area to competition.

> Also what is a good place to read about wow lore?

I actually don't know. o__o I've been thinking about looking more into myself. They have some books that are good. I enjoyed The Last Guardian. They useally do books before expansions such as War Crimes for WoD and The Shattering for Cata.

There are also a lot of youtubes that talk about it as well though I haven't watched them myself.

The Art of World of Warcraft is a good pick as it shows drawings of various expansions.

Specific to Blood Elves would be the Art of WoW: Burning Crusade but it came from the Collector Edition of Burning Crusade so it could be a bit hard to find (and you definitely won't find it in a store.)

Also, if she likes drawing/coloring, there's a Coloring Book too. :)

If she likes the lore/story of the game at all and likes to read too, I would suggest the World of Warcraft: Chronicle books:

• Volume 1
  
• Volume 2
  
• Volume 3
  
  They are basically history books about the game's world from the creation of the universe up to the first few expansions of World of Warcraft.

Oh no problem man.

As far as I know with monitors, don't worry too much about that 120/144Hz stuff, brands like Samsung, BenQ and Asus are safe bets.

I actually work/study in audio engineering, so speakers are my bread and butter. Personally though, a good pair of headphones while using my computer suffice for me, if he's talking to his friends online, consider maybe getting him a gaming headset? Only really saying this, as speakers are usually really low quality until you get into the upper £100 price range, and can take up a lot of desk space.

Usually I would recommend buying a standard pair of headphones, and buying an attachable microphone separate but it's only really worth doing if you're really into your sound.

Here's a 'gaming headset' reccomendation

Here's a desktop speaker reccomendation

Wi-Fi adapters you usually need to buy if you're building your own PC, but usually come in all Pre-built computers, so I wouldn't worry about that, however it is recommended even these days to use a wired connection if you can.

Maybe a mouse mat? Can pick any up from brands like 'Steelseries' for cheap-ish and last absolute years, he will need a Keyboard, but unless you want to splash out on a mechanical keyboard, the standard Microsoft keyboards are great.

I think that's everything? haha.

here is another mouse with thumb buttons that might help but might be too big
http://www.corsair.com/vengeance-gaming/vengeance-gaming-mice/vengeance-m90-performance-mmo-rts-laser-gaming-mouse.html

there are hand gaming like keyboards
http://www.amazon.com/Razer-Nostromo-Gaming-Keypad-RZ07-00490100-R3/dp/B004AM5RB6/ref=sr_1_4?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1342817363&sr=1-4

also have you ever thought about getting pedals
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826102003

You can make a type of shift mod macro so that when you press the pedal it will change what your mouse buttons do giving you a lot more buttons with out having to move your hands a lot. Or you could bind strafe left and right to the pedals. If you need help with shadow priest i can help you out with improving your dps sending me your character name in a pm. Or if you want to stay anonymous I'll give you a vent or mumble you can enter and talk to me there and i can help you with macros for shadow priest.

Here is a link to my character if you are wondering who i am
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/character/antonidas/Ellgar/simple

There is also other programs that will as long as you hold down a key keep repeating pressing the button for you. This is against the TOS as far as i am aware of but i don't know anyone who has got banned yet for using it but don't take my word on that.

I have a hardware related question for WoW players:

I own a Logitech G510 key board but I am not happy with it.
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-920-002530-Gaming-Keyboard-G510/dp/B003VAK16O

I use the additional keys on the side for hotkey access, but then I lose mobility of WASD keys from it. I have to reach over with my thumb to move and that causes problems when I'm trying to do things like melee DPS. I am also currently using the default UI in terms of keybinding and location. I was hoping to get some insight on how to make find a combination of consistent mobility while having good access to hotkeys for all situations. As an example, as a Protection Warrior I have a bad habit of turning my back away from the enemy when I need to move. I'd like to be able to move more effectively and be able to can use Shockwave effectively while keeping my necessary bindings like Ignore Pain with in easy reach.

Second in regards to the key board, it currently treats the G keys on the left side as F1. Is there some way for me to have them be separate keys so I can keep my default F1 keys? Should I ask PCMasterRace about this one?

I also use a Razor mouse with only 2 buttons on the the left side and a clicking mouse wheel.

In summary (TL;DR) How do I combine easy of mobility and ease of access to abilities/spells? Is this solved through the UI/Macro or would it be better to upgrade my mouse and keyboard?

Again if this is better for PC masterrace I can repost.

Get one of those thumb grid mice, like the Razer Naga (which i use) or the Logitech G600. Ignore the anti-Razer hate train, most of their products aren't that great, but their mice are always top-notch.

Got one? Good, it is so much easier using those than binding your whole keyboard. If you haven't already, use Dominos or Bartender. Where and how you place the bars is entirely up to you, and what you feel comfortable with.

For reference, this is how my keybindings look.

Now, the keybind fun starts. Put your main spells, preferably damage ones if you're dps or heal ones if you're a healer, from 1 to =, but you don't have to go that far (i go from 1-0). Bind everything else 1-= using Shift, Alt, and Ctrl modifiers, the way you do it is up to you. I personally use 1-0 for damage and mobility, shift modifier for utility, and alt modifier for self-defense or situational spells. The closer to 1 you put your ability, the more you remember it. You can also use extra non-number keybindings if you like, including Q, E, F, G, whatever floats your boat.

Oh, and remember that not everything needs to have a keybind.

Good luck!

I really enjoyed one of the Northrend lore books - Arthas. It is one of my favorite wow books. The Quests will lead you through the lore pretty well also! http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Arthas-Rise-Lich/dp/143915760X

• 1 for the Hyper X Cloud 2s. I've had mine probably around 4 years now and I've only had one issue. Whenever the computer is restarted I have to return up the mic volume on the "mid cord" remote, a tad annoying but they've been great otherwise. Really sturdy, drop them a lot with no damage, good cord length, nice "mid cord" controls for volume/mic volume/mic mute/"7.1 toggle"
  
  https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-KHX-HSCP-RD/dp/B00SAYCXWG
  
  Red ones are $88 and Grey are $84.
  
  Also side note when I first got them, it came with the "pleather fake vynnl" ear cups already on it and it was super hot on my ears/uncomfortable. I switched those out with the "cloth/fuzzy ish" ear cups that came with it and it's way more cool and comfortable. So you may have to try that out.

If you're not wanting a full keypad - Logitech Proteus - $50 US

If you do like full keypads - Logitech G600 - $53 US

Logitech does pretty good with their mice. While I like the Razer Naga better in use, the G600 is more durable in my experience.

That said, there's plenty of less known brands for cheaper prices that still have decent ratings such as the UtechSmart Venus - $39 US

-----------------------------

^^ ^^- ^^prices ^^pulled ^^10/10/2018 ^^under ^^a ^^prime ^^account.

I would like a WoW coloring book now please, thanks.

Edit: hey turns out there is one, OP pls make one too ty

If you want a testament to the current crappiness of razer, have a look at the nostromo n52te... before it became a dedicated razer product.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004AM5RB6/sr=8-2/qid=1417050664/ref=olp_tab_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1417050664&sr=8-2

$200-400 new. It was $55 retail when it was being made still. Mine is STILL working perfectly after 6 years of use in wow

1-70 Cheapest, Comes with a free month; note all keys are battle chest keys now

70-80 Wrath of the Litch King

80-85 Cataclysm

85-90 Mysts of Pandaria, Coming out some time within the next 6 months.

So 1-85 now is $65 with a free month... Not too bad, $65 is a pretty decent price point. I think i paid like $140 over the years for xpacs.

MMO-Champion does a monthly/bi-monthly computer setup comprised of 4 levels of pricing. Last one was on June 2nd. That should be a good place to start at least! :)

Edit: I'll also add a little personal plug for the Logitech G700 Mouse and Logitech G930 Headset because I absolutely love these frakkin devices!

How about Amazon? https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Warlords-Draenor-Expansion-Mac/dp/B00GLZQO30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469644366&sr=8-1&keywords=draenor

edit: By the way, what expansion is your account on? Do you know if they'll allow a boost to 90 if it's already on Draenor? Let me know what happens because a $20 boost to 90 sounds nice.

You're almost better off just buying a good pair of cans (sennheiser, audio technica, grado, shure, akg, etc.) and attaching a clip-on mic to the cord. far superiour audio quality, and the mic is good still. You can get a stunning pair of 75-80$ headphones and spend the rest on a mic

This is what I currently play on.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DT4A2R4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Works perfectly fine. Usually hovers in the 30-45ish FPS range during combat. Pretty solid little machine for the price.

YES! It's on sale right now for $8 on amazon, assuming you're in the USA.
http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Warlords-Draenor-Expansion-Mac/dp/B00GLZQO30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458851696&sr=8-1&keywords=warlords+of+draenor

Edit: also same price at Best Buy.

The three WoW chronicles are a great place to start.

https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Chronicle-BLIZZARD-ENTERTAINMENT/dp/1616558458/

https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Chronicle-BLIZZARD-ENTERTAINMENT/dp/1616558466/

https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Chronicle-BLIZZARD-ENTERTAINMENT/dp/1616558474/

After that if you really want more I'd start with the novels (I'd probably stick to reading the novels in published order.)

I just recently bought a $1000 Acer Aspire on Amazon that handles WoW surprisingly well, even on max graphics settings. Coming from a MacBook, I didn't even think that was possible on a laptop.

The downside? The touchpad. Trying to play WoW on any touchpad is bad, but the MacBook spoiled me. The one on the Acer is absolutely unusable for right clicking / turning. It's to the point where I might send it back. If you can always play with a mouse, this might not be a problem.

Acer Aspire VX 15 Gaming Laptop, 7th Gen Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, 15.6 Full HD, 16GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, VX5-591G-75RM https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N12YZ7B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_xIEgy9qLe8MMf

For headsets, just get a great set of normal headphones and a standalone mic.

I use these Superlux with this clip on mic. Extremely lightweight, comfortable, semi-open format (a dealbreaker for me personally) and near studio sound quality.

Orbweaver Chroma! Honestly, I like it but I really want the Tartarus V2 instead. It’s kind of bulky, but that might just be me because I have really small hands lol

That's definitely an improvement but you will probably want to save up and get one with an SSD drive. HDD's will tend to give you problems especially if you travel with it a lot. SSD will save you money in the long run.

Dell 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop (6th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5-6300HQ Processor up to 3.2GHz, 8GB DDR3, 256GB SSD, Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M, Windows 10) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PYYDMQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_eztYxb1CH6170

That dell has specs you would want to aim for, about $100 more. you get a bigger screen, beefier graphics and an SSD. Not sure how the i5 and i7 stack up but their performance is probably real similar. The dell CPU has a higher boost clock but the i7 has more cores.

Some people say 256gb is too small but I have no problem fitting all my games and work on mine at the same size.

If you video edit or something you'll need a bigger hard drive but snag an SSD and a 950m or higher for sure

Acer Aspire E 15, 15.6 Full HD, Intel Core i5, NVIDIA 940MX, 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD, Windows 10, E5-575G-53VG https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DT4A2R4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xMtYxbVQWMXQM

Also this one is $100 cheaper but with an SSD

Oh and same price, but SSD + 950m

Lenovo Ideapad 700 - 15.6" FHD Gaming Laptop (Intel Core i5 6300HQ, 12 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GTX950M, Windows 10) 80RU00FEUS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FJFN872/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-OtYxbKXFYKPB

If you don't mind the extra cables, I would recommend normal headphones that you would use for listening to music. Along with a separate microphone.

Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro

Audio-Technica ATH-M50

Those are two great under 200$ headphones. I've owned both and I prefer the Beyerdynamics since it has a removable cable.

As a separate mic:

Zalman Zm-Mic1

ModMic

Personally I use the Zalman. I simply prefer that style of mic over the boom type that a ModMic has. My friend swears by the ModMic though. On Mumble he sounds fine with it so the quality seems to be good.

If you simply prefer a headset that has a mic in it I would recommend these. I used them before I went over to a headphone/mic setup. The mic is a little muted admittedly, but everything is is A-ok. They're especially comfy.

Siberia v2

Alleria has not confronted Sylvanas, yet. That meetup is heavily hinted in 'Before the Storm' novel, the prelude to Battle for Azeroth (similar to 'Tides of War' preluding Mists of Pandaria and 'War Crimes' preluding Warlords of Draenor). There are two noteworthy conversations I'll point out:

On the Vindicaar when Vareesa is basically filling in Alliera on what happened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVc2OK2L_KA

The other one, is when Alliera and Turalyon return to Stormwind and reminisce about their statues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k7V8jTGZE0

Editors divergent note/opinion: One thing I'll add which I think is a slight fumble on Blizzard's side is that the latter conversation is something you need to kinda hunt for as an Alliance player, and when Alleria returns to Silvermoon, it is covered in a Horde only scenario (which weirdly covers Nightborne recruiting). There was a clear story thread that feels a bit jumbled since you see this on the Horde side and it doesn't mean that much to them, while you never see this on the Alliance side and there is a clear buildup for that scenario for them but it is far more 'hidden' than the first conversation I linked. My solution to mitigate the fumble would have been at least in the Void Elf scenario to deliver a lot more expostion and Alleria's afterthoughts and Blizzard nudges to get you to play Horde and experience that Nightborne recruitment/Silvermoon scenario.

I love my Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse, FPS Mouse. Much cheaper than a Razer, and you still get 11 programmable buttons. Just use only 6 of them... :-)

• $60.99 on Amazon (USD)
  
• £51.99 on Amazon.co.uk

2 words: Razer Naga. After I got mine I can't imagine how I played for so long without one, they are amazing!!! I def recommend them!!! http://www.amazon.com/Razer-Naga-2014-Gaming-Mouse/dp/B00E8CF268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413919168&sr=8-1&keywords=razer+naga

I play with a Roccat Nyth that I have set up with 8 of a possible 12 thumb buttons and yes, it makes things significantly easier.

There's a book about it, and it's actually quite good. I highly recommend reading it.

https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Arthas-Rise-Pocket/dp/143915760X

Actually, if you want to try it, message for a guest pass that'll give you 14 days of free play for you to try it out. Also, my main is on the same server as the reddit alliance guild, so you'd be playing with redditors.

As for price...yeah it's kinda pricey, but I'd recommend buying this first. It's $30 and includes the original game and first expansion...thus saves you $10 over buying them separately (and comes with some COMPLETELY useless guides (the game has changed too much since then to make them worth the paper they're on)).

I use the Roccat Nyth and I love it!!

EDIT: https://www.amazon.com/ROCCAT-Nyth-Victory-Gaming-ROC-11-900-AM/dp/B010U57G1K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481231718&sr=8-1&keywords=roccat+nyth

Hemholtz answered the question of expansions, this is added info:

If you don't mind the wait, this package from Amazon is $39 for the original game plus Burning Crusade and a couple guides that might help get you started.

A mouse you should consider, that is unlike any you've seen before, made by the Germans. It is the Roccat Nyth, and quite frankly it is amazing. You can even 3D print your own buttons if you want to, and it comes with a set of sides for where your pinky/ring finger go.

Check it out!

http://www.amazon.com/ROCCAT-Nyth-Victory-Gaming-ROC-11-900-AM/dp/B010U57G1K/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1451936607&sr=8-5&keywords=Roccat+Mouse

Amazon has it for $20, I think I saw it the same at best buy, and I've seen it on sale once or twice on Slickdeals in the last few weeks.

G700 best mouse I have ever used. it goes on sale for $50 all the time

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Gaming-Mouse-G700/dp/B003VAM32E

Would a speedpad (like this: http://www.amazon.com/Razer-Nostromo-Gaming-Keypad-RZ07-00490100-R3/dp/B004AM5RB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324743080&sr=8-1 ) help? Target selection, I mean it's not perfect but I tend to tab-target (target nearest hostile in keybindings) to select mobs, it's a bit slower than clicking with a mouse for fast switching but as long as he's not raiding at the cutting edge it might be alright?

Also depends what class he plays. Healing anything more than a 5-man would be challenging, but with 5-mans you can assign party member slots to hotkeys for targetting. I'm not sure how it'd work in a raid.

everyone thank you for your opinions. i did a bit of reading and it seems razer keyboards have a so so reputation atleast on amazon. I love my naga but i decided to go with the Logitech G510

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VAK16O/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

Thank you very much for your reply! I always wondered what professional players use to heal. I will definitely try healing with keybinds over the holidays. The only issue I have is with Shift which after a few hours I find hard to press since my little finger starts to hurt. I guess I will bind a longer cooldown to modify with shit.
Do you have any examples of your keybinds you'd be willing to share?

I currently have an old keyboard from Logitech
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-920-002530-Gaming-Keyboard-G510/dp/B003VAK16O


My current mouse which replaced my old Steelseries
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Proteus-Tunable-Customizable-910-004074/dp/B00IRHE892

Thank you for the mouse and keyboard suggestions.

Second on the HyperX Cloud Gaming Headsets.

I've used other headsets in a comparable price range in the past and the HyperX ones are durable, comfortable and functional.

There is. I could never understand how people could use their mouse in their left hand, even though I myself am left handed.

surely those 164 one star out of 577 Amazon reviewers don't like it

Like World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, and the soon to be released World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3?

I found it cheaper on amazon, I bought mine on a site from my country


https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Adult-Coloring-Book/dp/098970016X



here's the original site


https://gear.blizzard.com/us/world-of-warcraft-coloring-book

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DT4A2R4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kmrVAb8SS17T4

This is the one. :)

The Arthas book is really good. I think anything that Christie Golden has done is amazing.

http://www.amazon.com/Christie-Golden/e/B001IGLPJK

Except for the Jaina one, hated that one.

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Crimes-Christie-Golden/dp/074347130X

Razer Orbweaver Chroma: 30 Progammable Keys - Adjustable Hand, Thumb, and Palm-Rest Modules - Razer Green Mechanical Switches (Tactile and Clicky) - Gaming Keypad https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013P0HW7K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nNq3Bb65ATNBD

This is the new version of one that I have. There are other versions. I got my current one at Best Buy like 7 years ago for 50 bucks; still going strong. It helps a lot especially since it has a thumb stick for movements so you don’t keyboard turn. I love my healing set up but sometimes when I dps I can feel a little discomfort but that’s more on my injury than the gamepad

Counter-suggestion: Buy one of these and just buy actual headphones that prioritize sound quality and comfort over 'headset for gaming' branding.

Lots of peripherals like this exist now.

https://www.amazon.com/Razer-Nostromo-PC-Gaming-Keypad/dp/B004AM5RB6

It's cheapest on amazon:

Vanilla + Burning Crusade

Wrath of the Lich King

Cataclysm

Total: $79.97

Check out Rise of the Lich King by Christie Golden. Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Arthas-Rise-Pocket/dp/143915760X

WoD is on sale atm btw, 8$ at bestbuy and amazon atm!

http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Warlords-Draenor-Expansion-Mac/dp/B00GLZQO30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458865749&sr=8-1&keywords=warlords+of+draenor

well actually, in the book, Arthas defeats Ner'Zhul in a dream and gets full control, so he becomes the Lich King iirc.


Link to book: http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Arthas-Rise-Lich/dp/143915760X

My apologizes. I submited the link, but the link never went through. Here it is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DT4A2R4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's $20 on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Wrath-Lich-Expansion-Mac/dp/B000VJTJNE/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1290112516&sr=1-1

You can already pre-order Legion. Once Legion goes live WoD will get rolled into the base game. Amazon has WoD on sale for 8 bucks http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Warlords-Draenor-Expansion-Mac/dp/B00GLZQO30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458917109&sr=8-1&keywords=warlords+of+draenor

No. Notice how the retail packages (that will include a CD-Key) also have character boosts.

This + This + This is about $85

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DT4A2R4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I LOOOOVED Arthas
http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Arthas-Rise-Pocket/dp/143915760X

I believe it's the cover of the Arthas book https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Arthas-Rise-Pocket/dp/143915760X

http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Arthas-Rise-Lich/dp/143915760X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416693084&sr=8-2&keywords=arthas

You should presume less. It's also available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Chronicle-BLIZZARD-ENTERTAINMENT/dp/1616558474
Chronicle 3
SOON™

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Timeline_(unofficial)

World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1

World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2

Volume 3 isn't out yet, comes out March 27th.

World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3

http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Battle-Chest-Mac/dp/B000H96C9M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1292105709&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Wrath-Lich-Expansion-Mac/dp/B000VJTJNE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292105719&sr=8-1

40 bucks for the trifecta.

http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Wrath-Lich-Expansion-Mac/dp/B000VJTJNE

Apparently now it doesn't have JUST 2 stars...

I'm seeing Amazon has it for $23.99 and Target has it for $25.46. Am I missing something?

Link for the lazy.

blizzard sells the game for $19.99, amazon has it for $19.99 with burning crusade. The battle chest can usually be found for the same price (or possibly cheaper) at your local game store.

No, I mean, look around. It's not available for preorder anywhere.

edit: I'm an idiot, it wasn't showing up on search but it's there

http://www.amazon.com/World-Warcraft-Warlords-Draenor-PC/dp/B00GLZQO30

Clicking the button doesn't make it pre-orderable. hm.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01DT4A2R4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480172850&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=acer+laptop&dpPl=1&dpID=41HfDkXXyeL&ref=plSrch

I have the model from the beginning of the year that was only released in white with a slightly worse graphics card of the same model and its a beast, i run constant 60 fps in raids and out in the world on high settings

I tried going with a separate mic and headset, and I ended up hating it. The headset was okay, but I couldn't really tell much of a difference between it and my old gaming headset that broke, and it got uncomfortable after wearing it for a while. I don't have room for an on desk mic, so I went with this. My friends were constantly complaining that I sounded like shit, because I sounded like shit, and it was difficult to get the mic to pic up what I was saying. I couldn't fix any of this no matter how I configured it.

Switched to a Steelseries Siberia v2 and never looked back. It's comfortable, inexpensive, and I can't really observer any quality difference. The mic is also much, much more convenient. That being said, I use the headset for gaming with music in the background; f you were producing music on your computer, a more audio centered headset would probably be better.

I just bought a new laptop after weeks of looking around for one. It's gonna be here today! I decided on this $800 Dell.

There's also the Lenovo Y700 for $60 cheaper that I read was better than the Dell I bought since their actual specs are almost identical, but the Lenovo's keyboard, trackpad, and speakers were much better than the Dell's. I decided on the Dell since I'm almost never gonna use the speakers and trackpad and because I think the "gaming laptop" design that the Lenovo uses is incredibly ugly.

This Dell is between the price of the above two computers. It's the same as the one I bought except it has an i5 processor instead of an i7 and it comes with a 256GB SSD instead of a 1TB HDD. My logic was that I could always buy an SSD but not a new processor for my laptop, so I went for the more expensive i7 model.

This $550 Acer is the cheapest of the bunch. It has GTX 940M 2GB graphics card instead of the 960M 4GB of the above models, and a 256GB SSD like the Dell. Again, my thinking was that I would much rather have an inferior hard drive that I could easily replace than an inferior graphics card that I would be stuck with forever.