Druid Class Hall Followers Optimization

[clavarnway]

I have over 100k resources and I still don't plan on dropping the OR item for my CA. I'm sure they will continue adding things where you will want to have them on hand. They have said they aren't going to add a dump, but it's Blizzard, so they may.

[Ogait]

I have over 100k resources and I still don't plan on dropping the OR item for my CA. I'm sure they will continue adding things where you will want to have them on hand. They have said they aren't going to add a dump, but it's Blizzard, so they may.

Right now on my Main I'm close to 200k and I just hope they add stuff to spend this.
I wish I could trade them for my alts, since I'm always struggling for OR... Like 2k for 500 would be cool

[Polarthief]

Right now on my Main I'm close to 200k and I just hope they add stuff to spend this.
I wish I could trade them for my alts, since I'm always struggling for OR... Like 2k for 500 would be cool

Not a bad idea. Garrison wasn't even that bad since you could turn resources into mats with the Trading Post (you still can btw, if you want to level professions for free up to 700!). Order Hall though, idk, the resources just keep coming with not enough to spend them on your main and nowhere near enough on your alts.

[Unbelivabru]

I wish I could trade them for my alts, since I'm always struggling for OR... Like 2k for 500 would be cool

This. A million times this. I am currently at 7 110 toons and struggling to get resources in every one of them, except on my main ofc that has about 100k. I know Blood of Sargeras can help with that but that is just a waste of gold.

[Tiberria]

Well, the mechanic for getting resources on an alt is buying the BoA 200 resource chests for 1 Blood. Sure, you could generally make 150-200g from bloods by buying trade mats and selling them, but it's a catchup mechanism that lets you bypass grinding out needed resources in for 750-1000g per 1000 resources. I think that's perfectly reasonable honestly. If you don't want to use your bloods, then you have to put in the time doing WQ.

They probably should just let you buy blood vendor mats with order resources as well. However, doing that would probably sink the overall trade good economy/value of bloods, so I don't know that people would really want that. They also specifically asked Hazzikostas about excess resources on the Q&A, and he pretty much threw shade on any idea of providing a dump, saying that they think the bonus rolls are good enough, and that it would be unfair to give resources trade value now, because people that bought bonus rolls with them would feel screwed over. His arguments are actually dumb as hell, but it is what it is.

[Marrilaife]

I have over 100k resources and I still don't plan on dropping the OR item for my CA. I'm sure they will continue adding things where you will want to have them on hand. They have said they aren't going to add a dump, but it's Blizzard, so they may.

Well you never know they might add more rows of order hall advancement tree or w/e, I always like to have healthy supply, having to stop sending missions or waste bloods because I just ran out on some alt and I'm in a hurry without time to go farm WQ feels awful.

Quick update to the spreadsheet for those of you with alts: I now have tabs for EVERY class in the game! None of them are as super optimized and detailed like Druid, but I show every champion and if they're good, shit, or somewhere in the middle. I also have notes on each of them (as necessary), and give a quick rundown of the class as a whole based on their champions and Order Hall Advancement options.

Haha, just saw what you wrote on Monks, and you're the first person to agree with my feeling Almai > Li Li as mistweaver of choice for missions. I asked the Monk community which combat ally should I use as I was using Li Li, and most people said Almai as CA and Li Li as mission champion.

But tbh champions like Li Li or Hilaire on hunter suffer from 1 big problem: inflexibility. You can't (or don't want to) always slot them in the most favourable scenario and in all others, they're pretty meh. If I need a mistweaver mission, I don't want to have to lock my best brewmaster to it, just because so. Almai is much more versatile and "standalone". Plus she's much better minion counter champion than Aegira (yes, I share your sentiment against "lone wolf" champions).

P.S. "I don't know what "Tiger Masters" are, but T2 Troops champions are always good."
Monks have a t2 perk "enlightenment" which can randomly upgrade a troop by 1 level (I heard it's around 25% proc chance), so a plain troop can get to upgraded troop without having the usual troop upgrade perk (imagine treants becoming dryads without having to research the dryad), but the trick is whichever troop you upgrade (well it's nearly always the greater troop anyway...), starts already at the upgraded level so when the perk procs it puts it at the "master" level.

Masters give +40% success chance and either 15% chance with minions if greater troop (tiger masters) or 15% chance with hazards for lesser troops (ox masters). I'm not sure if this perk would affect the new t7 troops, didn't test it, Monks don't have healing tokens and extra champion is always handy so didn't even research these.

Many t2 perks are very uneventful like +10% chance with hazards, Monk one allows you to actually decide yourself where you use the extra powerful troop, shame there is no healing item to keep the empowered troops alive, but tbh, that would be broken (imagine fishing for all upgraded troops of 1 type then switching and doing the same with the other type...)

EDIT: This is the wowhead link to the upgraded troop: http://www.wowhead.com/champion=631/tiger-masters Just pay no heed to the fact it says "counters minions" it doesn't, it's a wowhead bug in the same way it says DK champion Whitemane counters minions while she only adds +15% chance against minions but doesn't counter them.

The above is actually from my experience, didn't test the other troop type but I trust that's the one: http://www.wowhead.com/champion=628/ox-masters


P.S.2. After learning the AoW trick I tried to research the special troop on shaman only to find out he has 1 HP... Same the monk one (I got echo of Niuzao), super disappointed, yeah they cost only 50 OR in comparison to 200 for AoW BUT they still take 12h to build same as AoW... for 1 time use! Really bummed...

[Polarthief]

I've been greatly considering something that will drop success a bit, but overall I think it might be better for Elite Strikes. Right now, I typically only care about 2 (the AP and Resources ones), but that's usually around 4 champions that are gone for 2+ days. Considering giving nearly everyone a Carrot (Saddle when I get them) over their Doodads (Success Builds) or Tokens (T2 Builds), so pretty much everyone will be a new Hybrid that won't have a name because it's Ember (T2)/Fetish (Success)/Saddle (Reduction). Maybe "Efficiency" or "Versatile" or something, idk, but the point is these missions are long as hell and they just come so quickly (around weekly or so), and they just ruin my mission board, making it fairly inefficient, especially when I see like 110-115% almost every time on them, and I know there's plenty of wasted success elsewhere as well. So yeah, for now, let's just call this the "Hybrid" build where you just use the best 3 epics, though man getting a few more saddles is going to suck.

In other news, I've finally had it with Mylune keeping me in combat and not letting me fly, but I so don't want to bother leveling another character to Titled. Finally just got Moroes to Epic and Thisalee to Titled last night; I don't want to have to do the grind again for Naralex, ugh.

<snip>

Thank you for the bit about the Masters, I was so freaking confused.

P.S.2. After learning the AoW trick I tried to research the special troop on shaman only to find out he has 1 HP... Same the monk one (I got echo of Niuzao), super disappointed, yeah they cost only 50 OR in comparison to 200 for AoW BUT they still take 12h to build same as AoW... for 1 time use! Really bummed...

Quoting for awareness. Both the Monk and Shaman pages were updated.

I also plan to give an almost-as-detailed breakdown like I did with Druid, giving recommended builds, gearing, everything, and then probably posting it on the reddit or general thread since it's not just Druid (it's just mostly Druid ). Would love some help and information if anyone has a bunch of alts and they know a few things though.

[Marrilaife]

In other news, I've finally had it with Mylune keeping me in combat and not letting me fly,

Yep, that's something that always bothered me about specific combat allies, that's why on nearly all classes I pick clicky button ones just for the convenience of not having uncontrollable crap running around. Only alt that is denied this option is Monk, either you have a bodyguard, or a proc, or the new switchable follower, but that one's good for missions, so...

I also plan to give an almost-as-detailed breakdown like I did with Druid, giving recommended builds, gearing, everything, and then probably posting it on the reddit or general thread since it's not just Druid (it's just mostly Druid ). Would love some help and information if anyone has a bunch of alts and they know a few things though.

One thing I didn't understand is why you rated Akazamzarak on Mage as low while all other champions of that type (Thassarian, Tyrosus, Monkey King, Shaw) are rated high, I don't have a Mage atm but I was under the impression Akazamzarak works the same way as all the other "meatball's balls" types of champions? Gives you extra items (not 100% drop rate) you can stockpile to 5 and use in a pinch on a hard mission. Was actually wondering of including him in my future setup when I level my mage since I'd want extra frost mage and Modera t1 troop affinity is quite poor, so curious how useful is he in practice.

[clavarnway]

I'm surprised you don't have all you guys titled already Polarthief's, just for completion sake, and to give options for the future. All mine are titled except for Zentabra, who will be after he returns from the Elite Strike. Pairing levelers w/reduction champions gets them fast XP.

[Polarthief]

One thing I didn't understand is why you rated Akazamzarak on Mage as low while all other champions of that type (Thassarian, Tyrosus, Monkey King, Shaw) are rated high, I don't have a Mage atm but I was under the impression Akazamzarak works the same way as all the other "meatball's balls" types of champions? Gives you extra items (not 100% drop rate) you can stockpile to 5 and use in a pinch on a hard mission. Was actually wondering of including him in my future setup when I level my mage since I'd want extra frost mage and Modera t1 troop affinity is quite poor, so curious how useful is he in practice.

Because the drop rate is super low apparently. It's a chance to even get an item, and, according to random anecdotes I compiled from official forums, most of the time it's a trash grey item on top of that, not a lucky rabbit foot. If it was like Meatball/the class-specific ones, I'd have rated him the same. Keep in mind that they're just my recommendations without any experience, and you can interpret them however you want (plus the blue section is VERY open-ended since I rated a ton of T1 Troop champions and "15% bonus to Issue XYZ" champions as blue (the only exceptions being ones like Calydus for the Warlock where his bonus is also his counter, which is AMAZINGLY better than them being different).

I'm surprised you don't have all you guys titled already Polarthief's, just for completion sake, and to give options for the future. All mine are titled except for Zentabra, who will be after he returns from the Elite Strike. Pairing levelers w/reduction champions gets them fast XP.

I plan(ned) to, but now the Elite Strikes super get in my way. I probs will in the future.

[Minttunator]

I also plan to give an almost-as-detailed breakdown like I did with Druid, giving recommended builds, gearing, everything, and then probably posting it on the reddit or general thread since it's not just Druid (it's just mostly Druid ). Would love some help and information if anyone has a bunch of alts and they know a few things though.

I don't have any 110 alts, so I can't really help with the project but I'd just like to say that you're a scholar and a gentleman and I really appreciate all the work you've put into this - thank you!

[Cheze]

oh nm, misunderstood

[Polarthief]

I don't have any 110 alts, so I can't really help with the project but I'd just like to say that you're a scholar and a gentleman and I really appreciate all the work you've put into this - thank you!

S'all good, and thank you, I appreciate that!

If even ONE person got some help out of the alt work I did, I consider that worth it

- - - Updated - - -

Finally got around to starting the detailed stuff for non-Druid; DK's done! Now if I could stop being lazy, I'll get to the other 10 classes. Probs gonna do Warlock next just because I'd like to make a detailed layout for my newest 110 (instead of having to do 8 other classes first if I go alphabetically).

[Unbelivabru]

@Polarthief
You should have a pinned post with all these setups somewhere, they are amazing! I know there are other posts with other setups but they are not nearly as detailed as yours. Thank you, bro! Looking forward to see more of the other classes.

[Polarthief]

@Polarthief
You should have a pinned post with all these setups somewhere, they are amazing! I know there are other posts with other setups but they are not nearly as detailed as yours. Thank you, bro! Looking forward to see more of the other classes.

Hey, if someone wants to pin them, though I'm not sure where (which forum). Maybe when I finish all the classes, I can get it pinned in GD.

I'm glad you like them! I'm very meticulous and I like knowing my options. All too often, people make guides (of any kind) and hard-lock you into XYZ without even mentioning your options (I did the same when I wrote up my written guide of the Balance Druid Challenge Artifact; all legendaries/talents, all options, etc), and that's not the best way to make a guide. You're supposed to be guiding people, not telling them exactly what to do without options! If I wanted to do that, I wouldn't have a roster setup for Thisalee or Remulos as your CA I also don't have the CA listed for alt classes because frankly, I have no idea which one to use and I'm sure the people who actually play those classes would know better. For alts I'm just trying to optimize Counters/Specs to the best of my ability while also leaving some sweet bonuses in to get the 120%s on a single champion and whatnot.

[Deleted]

Anyone can give me a good composition pls, i try to read the Frozenclaws/Polarthief spreadshit...And i'm confusing now :S didn't understand nothing...pls

[Etamalgren]

Anyone can give me a good composition pls, i try to read the Frozenclaws/Polarthief spreadshit...And i'm confusing now :S didn't understand nothing...pls

The general idea is to pick followers that will give you a trifecta of specializations and counters (i.e. Mylune (Balance/Dash), Brightwing (Resto/Starfall), Zentabra(Feral/Skull Bash). With space for seven followers, you can have two trifectas and Meatball (who gives enough completion% that he acts like he has every specialization, but no counters).

It gets more complicated if you're wanting to take advantage of your follower's secondary abilities, like +15% success chance while using T2 troops and such, or if you want to have a bodyguard while still having Meatball and/or Moroes in your roster.

[Polarthief]

Anyone can give me a good composition pls, i try to read the Frozenclaws/Polarthief spreadshit...And i'm confusing now :S didn't understand nothing...pls

The second tab shows you rosters. The first shows you optimal gearing for each follower, if you're using them as a mission champion.

For example, tab 2's "Maximum Optimization" build uses Meatball, Moroes (Naralex if you don't have Moroes), Keeper Remulos, Sylendra, Thisalee Crow, Hamuul, and Mylune as a Combat Ally. In addition, it also uses a Restoration Ancient of War, and a Starfall+Dash Dreamgrove Wardens.

Then you go to the first tab to see gearing.

Meatball: Saddle, Carrot, Fetish
Moroes: Ember, Token, Fetish (Naralex: Fetish, Doodad, Ember)
Remulos: Ember, Token, Fetish
Sylendra: Saddle, Carrot, Fetish
Thisalee: Ember, Token, Fetish
Hamuul: Fetish, Doodad, Ember
Mylune: Potion, Elixir, Necklace (Combat Ally stuff)

[Daan]

Right now on my Main I'm close to 200k and I just hope they add stuff to spend this.
I wish I could trade them for my alts, since I'm always struggling for OR... Like 2k for 500 would be cool

Order ressources, the same crap like this apexis in WoD - only for time sink and then useless, while you need them on your twinks.

[Myztikrice]

Just to be clear, you're keeping up an AoW and two Dreamgrove Wardens entirely on mushrooms? ie at least two a day?