I've started work on a new website: www.raider101.com
The page on this blog that gets the single largest number of hits is the Hit Caps page (currently outdated). I think this shows that there is a real demand for basic, comprehensive information presented in an easy-to-understand format. I adore Elitist Jerks, but it's very advanced, and I think a lot of people just want basic information, rather than having to wade through 50-page threads.
My idea for Raider 101 is to have the basic information on how to play for every class and spec available in a single site that is easy to navigate. I'm also trying for an emphasis on talents and ability rotations, rather than gear. In my opinion, too much attention is paid to gear at the low end, and not enough attention is paid to the other elements. I've written up Retribution to start with, so you can see what I am aiming for.
It's a wiki, so if anyone wants to contribute, feel free. The important part is to keep things simple. The intended audience is not the people who can do 3000 DPS and are trying for 3500. The intended audience are the people struggling at 1000 DPS. After they master the basics, they can go to Elitist Jerks and delve into the deep theorycraft.
It's very much a work-in-progress at the moment, though. If you'd like to contribute (especially non-paladins) feel free to sign up.
Hey I love your idea :) if i'd had a site like this to refer to or send people to in the past it would have helped a lot. I'd definetly love to contribute on the Resto/balance druid side of things.
ReplyDeleteThank for you so much for starting something like this. I'm in a casual raiding guild (mainly working adults) and our folks are slowing working towards gearing up for Naxx.
ReplyDeleteA lot of our players wouldn't touch EJ with a ten foot pole. But something accessible like this would be really helpful.
This is brilliant!
ReplyDeleteOnly moments ago I was stuck with the same problem trying to help a guildie which had just switched to ret and I had no idea where to begin.
This is a great help.
Nicely done. I like it.
ReplyDeleteVery nice idea. Im most uptodate on my paladin. But have a good insight no my warrior as well.
ReplyDeleteI will get by the site and see if I can help out with something.
Great idea! It's just what I was looking for after dinging 80. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick feedback after doing a couple of edits, I found wikkawikki to be a bit lacking in formatting features, in particular there seems to be no way to create in-page navigation (html anchors), which would help readability (and allow to use quick content boxes to skip down to eg enchants if that's the only thing you need).
ReplyDeleteNot wanting to engage in any form of religious wars here but I'd recommend considering to move to a wiki soft which is a bit richer in formatting features before this grows too much.
That being said, love the idea.
I thing the WoWnet needed a site like ElitistJerks for people just heading into raiding. ( Like me)
ReplyDeleteGreat Idea.
Excellent idea!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing this grow. Great idea, lots of guild members that could use this.
ReplyDeletehave created the Protection Warrior section.
ReplyDeleteIt is fairly comprehensive, however I have not updated the links to wowhead talent builds and the like, as work blocks WoWHead.
Very nice! As a newly minted level 80 protection warrior, this guide looks extremely useful. Thanks a ton!
ReplyDelete*Applauds* Great idea! I would love to contribute, but I'm one of the ones that could benefit from some straight forward info. EJ is great but as I often comment on my own blog theorycrafting does my head in :P
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea! I made an edit to the Holy Paladin page. I really like the info so far.
ReplyDeleteI second all the thanks. Great project.
ReplyDelete~ Jason, DPS Liberation Front
Awesome, I'd very much like to contribute to this page, probably by copy/pasting a load of stuff I wrote on my own guilds forum
ReplyDeleteAnd if its a wiki, I get to do just that
Thanks :)
Awesome idea. I'm basically spamming this site on every place I regularly visit. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is great stuff! I'll see if I can add something to the balance druid section.
ReplyDeleteI consider myself an average player with average gear. I think i could help out people that are having trouble hitting 1500+ dps. I filled in the frostmage section. I'm sure the elite raiders will flame it to pieces, but I think there is quality stuff in there for your average, casual player.
ReplyDeleteDarkdalamar, Drak'Tharon
Fantastic and simple resource, great idea. thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteSome suggestions (don't know if they can be implemented):
#1: Some means to see if a text is up to date for the newest patch would be nice. The easiest method could be a green symbol for content for the newest patch and a red one for outdated stuff.
#2: How about adding a dropdown-box to switch between different languages? I know several players who play far behind their possibilites because their english is not good enough for Elitist Jerks.
I really like this idea!
ReplyDeleteJust make sure the word games isnt listed in the search options (some work filters don't like that word)
awesome idea
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is a bit difficult to say "this is the way" and just have 1 version soto speak.
e.g. I looked at the Ret / Prot pages, and would have a few variations on rotations for ret and spec/enchants for prot.
Particularly for prot, there are just soo many variations since what is ideal changes depending on the encounter and your role within the raid. hehe but then if I had my way, I would just about write a book on prot tanking lolz
Bravo on your idea. I had the same complaint for the first few months after becoming a Tank. It took so much research and questions just to find out what minimums I needed to survive and thrive in heroics and Naxx.
ReplyDeleteHere's a recent post I did which is the amateur version of the Raider 101 project: Aspiring Tanks Wanna Know
I listed out the hard-earned info on stat minimums that Tanks need. Would this kind of information work well with your new project?
George, while your post is good and correct, I'm trying to avoid listing gear minimums (unless it's like the defense minimum).
ReplyDeleteWhat I've noticed is that people at the lower end pay far too much emphasis on gear, and not enough emphasis on using the proper skills. So I'm trying to put as little information down about gear as I can get away with.
That's a very good point, Rohan. I'm looking forward to watching Raider 101 grow.
ReplyDeleteYou're right about the skills vs gear concentration: it doesn't matter how good your gear is, if you don't know what you're doing, you're still a bad Tank.
Maybe it's more a Warrior thing, but we seem to be very gear dependent. Plus, it's hard not to focus on stats when you hear a lot of, "No, you can't be MT, your armor is too low," "...your avoidance is too low," or "...your health is too low," etc.
However, I like how Raider 101 looks at a character as a whole, and not the drill-down stat look you see everywhere else.
By the way, "Rohan" seems very familiar. Where did you get that name from?
"Rohan" is my first name in real life. :)
ReplyDeleteMost people in the west recognize it as one of the countries in Lord of the Rings.
I think it would be great to also have some topics besides just class/spec. specifically raid leading 101 kind of topics.
ReplyDeletee.g. Hit cap for your raiders, generally summing up the hit cap needs and how to get there or help specific players who are short (food or consumables)
Buff balancing/maxing and helping to use like the raidcomp.mmo-champion.com tool to figure out who can bring what.
What do you think?
Sterling