I made a little video showing how I use Power Auras on Cotar. It’s probably nothing new, but I’m not sure how many of you take advantage of the custom sound effects option in Power Auras. It can be loads of fun.

As many of you are aware, I love Power Auras.

I made up a set of them for the Hodir encounter to easily tell if I have a buff or not. With all the spells and snow flying around, it can be hard to see those camp fires. No longer will you have to guess if you can move far enough from the camp fire to the Starlight beam, but still keep your Toasty Fire buff.

• Toasty Fire (this is the really good one)
  Copy/Paste this import string into Power Auras

  gcd:bofalse; soundfile:stQUESTADDED; owntex:bofalse; b:nu0.18823529411765; anim1:nu4; duration:nu0; g:nu0.14509803921569; thresholdinvert:bofalse; ignoremaj:botrue; opt2:nu0; speed:nu1; stance:nu10; icon:stInterface\Icons\Inv_Misc_SummerFest_BrazierOrange; size:nu0.51999998092651; torsion:nu1; multiids:st; stacksOperator:st=; realaura:nu1; timer:bofalse; mine:bofalse; optunitn:bofalse; inverse:bofalse; begin:nu0; off:bofalse; isdebuff:bofalse; textaura:bofalse; customname:st; target:bofalse; combat:nu0; wowtex:bofalse; groupany:bofalse; customsound:st; timerduration:nu0; exact:bofalse; threshold:nu50; unitn:stOnly for raid/group.; bufftype:nu1; stacks:nu0; aurastextfont:nu1; party:bofalse; customtex:bofalse; focus:bofalse; isenchant:bofalse; raid:bofalse; isdebufftype:bofalse; texture:nu13; buffname:stToasty Fire; anim2:nu0; opt1:nu0; r:nu1; randomcolor:bofalse; y:nu86; alpha:nu1; aurastext:st; x:nu0; texmode:nu1; symetrie:nu0; ismounted:bofalse; targetfriend:bofalse; sound:nu5; isinraid:botrue; finish:nu1

• Storm Power
  Copy/Paste this import string into Power Auras

  gcd:bofalse; soundfile:stQUESTCOMPLETED; owntex:bofalse; b:nu1; anim1:nu4; duration:nu0; g:nu0.22745098039216; thresholdinvert:bofalse; ignoremaj:botrue; opt2:nu0; speed:nu1; stance:nu10; icon:stInterface\Icons\Spell_Shaman_StaticShock; size:nu0.49999997019768; torsion:nu1; multiids:st; stacksOperator:st=; realaura:nu1; timer:bofalse; mine:bofalse; optunitn:bofalse; inverse:bofalse; begin:nu0; off:bofalse; isdebuff:bofalse; textaura:bofalse; customname:st; target:bofalse; combat:nu0; wowtex:bofalse; groupany:bofalse; customsound:st; timerduration:nu0; exact:bofalse; threshold:nu50; unitn:stOnly for raid/group.; bufftype:nu1; stacks:nu0; aurastextfont:nu1; party:bofalse; customtex:bofalse; focus:bofalse; isenchant:bofalse; raid:bofalse; isdebufftype:bofalse; texture:nu3; buffname:stStorm Power; anim2:nu0; opt1:nu0; r:nu0.49803921568627; randomcolor:bofalse; y:nu74; alpha:nu1; aurastext:st; x:nu0; texmode:nu1; symetrie:nu0; ismounted:bofalse; targetfriend:bofalse; sound:nu6; isinraid:botrue; finish:nu1

• Starlight (though your really shouldn’t need this one to see the big column of light)
  Copy/Paste this import string into Power Auras

  gcd:bofalse; soundfile:stUndeadExploration; owntex:bofalse; b:nu0.65098039215686; anim1:nu4; duration:nu0; g:nu0.9921568627451; thresholdinvert:bofalse; ignoremaj:botrue; opt2:nu0; speed:nu1; stance:nu10; icon:stInterface\Icons\Spell_Holy_ElunesGrace; size:nu0.75999999046326; torsion:nu1; multiids:st; stacksOperator:st=; realaura:nu1; timer:bofalse; mine:bofalse; optunitn:bofalse; inverse:bofalse; begin:nu0; off:bofalse; isdebuff:bofalse; textaura:bofalse; customname:st; target:bofalse; combat:nu0; wowtex:bofalse; groupany:bofalse; customsound:st; timerduration:nu0; exact:bofalse; threshold:nu50; unitn:stOnly for raid/group.; bufftype:nu1; stacks:nu0; aurastextfont:nu1; party:bofalse; customtex:bofalse; focus:bofalse; isenchant:bofalse; raid:bofalse; isdebufftype:bofalse; texture:nu22; buffname:stStarlight; anim2:nu0; opt1:nu0; r:nu1; randomcolor:bofalse; y:nu74; alpha:nu0.30000001192093; aurastext:st; x:nu0; texmode:nu1; symetrie:nu0; ismounted:bofalse; targetfriend:bofalse; sound:nu4; isinraid:botrue; finish:nu1

Makes it really easy to Stay Buffed All Winter.

I’ve been married to my lovely wife for 4 years. Let no one break our set bonus!

Thought I’d share a few UI modifications I made for the Freya encounter in Ulduar that I think really helped make things easier. In particular, for the three elementals she spawns that seem to give a lot of people problems. If you can make use of any or all them, they may help you too.

1. Make target marcos for each add. So:
   /tar Snaplasher
   /tar Storm Lasher
   /tar Ancient Water Spirit

   I also made one for the healy tree that we need to bring down fast.
   /tar Eonar

2. I then use Bartender4 to make a new hot bar to put these macros on. I can turn the bar on and off manually. So I can bring it up whenever we get to Freya and put it away when we’re done. That way it’s always ready to go. As you can see in the image above, I placed this bar right underneath my “pew” bar. Later in the fight I rearranged the buttons to be next to the DBM health bars for each elemental. That way I’d click the button next to the health bar of the add we need to attack. Worked great, but I didn’t get a screen grab of it.
3. Last, but certainly not least, I made a Power Aura for the Snaplasher. I’m not sure how many other people use Power Auras Classic, but I’m hooked on them. I made an Aura that checks the enemy mob I have targeted and looks for how many stacks of Hardened Bark it has on them. If it has over 40 stacks, it pulls up that big “DANGER” graphic that is pictured above. What’s nice is if you switch off and come back to the mob before the stacks drop off, the aura will pop back up cause the mob still has over 40 stacks. I like Power Auras because they put information like this front and center where you won’t miss it. You can import the aura I use. Just grab the file below, open the txt file, copy the code, and paste it in the import field within Power Auras. Use it as is or modify it to your liking.

   Copy/Paste this import string into Power Auras

   gcd:bofalse; soundfile:stAuctionWindowClose; owntex:bofalse; b:nu0.054901960784314; anim1:nu1; duration:nu0; g:nu0; thresholdinvert:bofalse; ignoremaj:botrue; opt2:nu0; speed:nu1.2000000476837; finish:nu1; icon:stInterface\Icons\Spell_Nature_StoneClawTotem; size:nu1; torsion:nu1; multiids:st; stacksOperator:st>; realaura:nu1; sound:nu13; mine:bofalse; optunitn:bofalse; symetrie:nu0; begin:nu0; off:bofalse; texmode:nu2; x:nu0; customname:st; timerduration:nu0; target:botrue; wowtex:bofalse; groupany:bofalse; customsound:st; combat:nu0; y:nu-15; randomcolor:bofalse; unitn:stOnly for raid/group.; bufftype:nu1; r:nu1; aurastextfont:nu1; party:bofalse; opt1:nu0; focus:bofalse; isenchant:bofalse; raid:bofalse; isdebufftype:bofalse; texture:nu43; anim2:nu0; buffname:stHardened Bark; customtex:bofalse; stacks:nu40; threshold:nu50; exact:bofalse; alpha:nu0.75000005960464; aurastext:st; textaura:bofalse; isdebuff:bofalse; inverse:bofalse; ismounted:bofalse; targetfriend:bofalse; timer:bofalse; isinraid:bofalse; stance:nu10

   http://www.megasmack.com/powa/freya-snaplasher.txt.zip

Enjoy!

Recorded our third attempt at Flame Leviathan on 10 man. This was the one we downed him on for the first time.

I’ve added some new Hunter Power Auras. I wanted to keep them grouped together, so I edited my original post. You can find them here:

http://www.megasmack.com/2009/04/01/hunter-power-auras/

Just recorded our guild’s most recent Malygos run for the fun of it. Nothing terribly informative, but here it is.

Power Auras are a pretty powerful tool for hunters. They’re great for letting you know when abilities have cooled down and when certain procs are up without have to watch a little button icon. I figured I’d post the ones I use in case anyone would like to use them or modify them. Plus other classes could modify them for their own use. A Druid could use the Serpent Sting one for Moonfire for example. If you have some of your own, please share.

Enjoy.

Low mana
Shows when you drop below 6% mana and when you may want to consider popping a potion or going into Viper.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/lowmana.txt.zip

Aspect of the Viper
Basically shows you when you’re in Viper so you don’t forget and stay in Viper.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/aspectoftheviper.txt.zip

Aspect of the Dragonhawk
This shows you when you are in combat if AotDH is NOT on. I have this because I’d get used to seeing Viperthe Aura when I was out of combat and regening mana. If I wasn’t paying attention, I’d jump in combat again and forget to switch. Because I get another aura popping up when I go in combat, it serves as an alarm that I need to put AotDH up. It’s also good for when you come back from a wipe and forget to put AotDH up at all.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/dragonhawk.txt.zip

Hunter’s Mark
This aura shows up whenever Hunter’s Mark is not up on the target. Doesn’t matter if it’s cast by you or not.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/huntersmark.txt.zip

Serpent Sting
This aura shows up when ever your Serpent Sting drops off the target.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/serpentsting.txt.zip

Kill Command
Nice little alert whenever Kill Command is ready.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/killcommand.txt.zip

Lock and Load
Alert that shows up when you get a Lock N Load proc. Has a sound effect so you don’t miss it.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/lnl.txt.zip

Rapid Fire
Alert whenever Rapid Fire is ready. It’s big and obnixious, but you want a big notice on something that has a 5 minute cooldown.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/rapidfire.txt.zip

Mirror of Truth
Pretty popular trinket. Not super useful, but nice to know when this trinket procs.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/mirroroftruth.txt.zip

UPDATE: I’ve added a couple more to my arsenal.

Black Arrow
Shows when your Black Arrow drops off the target.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/blackarrow.txt.zip

Heroism
Shows when you’re under the affects of Heroism. Has a timer.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/heroism.txt.zip

Rapid Fire Active
Shows when you’re under the affects of Rapid Fire. Has a timer.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/rapidfire-on.txt.zip

Potion of Speed
Shows when you’re under the affects of a Potion of Speed. Has a timer.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/potionofspeed.txt.zip

Fury of the Five Flights
If you have this trinket, it’ll show when you have 20 stacks up. Good if you want to save your Call of the Wild for when you have the most AP.
http://www.megasmack.com/powa/furyofthe5flights.txt.zip

Not only is the site going through a lot of cosmetic changes, but in terms of content as well. I’ve decided to blog about one of my favorite hobbies, World of Warcraft. Not exactly a novel idea as there are a ton of WoW blogs. I’m guessing I’ll talk about a lot of Hunter related stuff as that is, and always shall be, my main toon.

I just really enjoy talking about WoW and “talking shop” about hunters, that I thought I’d join the large club. I’ll do my best to keep your attention.

So I saw Alton’s Pretzel episode this last week. After seeing it, I told Jammie, “We need a stand mixer, NOW!” Some of you may know my love of a “Big Pretzel” so this should come as no surprise. The next day I hopped on Amazon and found a good deal on a refurbished one ($170 for a Pro model). A week later and we’re making pretzels! We’re on our third batch already (would have been 5 if not for some screw ups by me, but lessons were learned).

These suckers taste awesome when they are fresh out of the oven. Even reheated, they are the best pretzel I’ve ever had. We already begun experimentation by trying to make a cheese stuffed pretzel. Very good as well.

The best part is that the material to make these are pretty cheap. Mostly flour. So you can make a dozens of them while trying to prefect your technique. The expensive part was the mixer itself. Well, that and the trip Fein Brothers to get some new cooking stuffs (never buy department store sheet pans. Always get restaurant quality).

I even took pictures!


Still need a little practice on the roll technique, but the flavor is excellent. Gonna try some the hard pretzels tonight.

Oh, and the mustard from that episode is also very awesome!