Recommended Posts

Warrior can handle just as much mobs as a pally. It's just we can't press one button and viola be "pro" at it. AoE tanking as a warrior still has us going back to the old days of AoE tanking. Tabbing between targets, and only keeping the mob targetted long enough for one/two Dev or a Shield Slam, while keeping Thunderclap on CD. You don't have to tab much now and days (usually only once through and your good to hold 'em) but we still need to.

AoE pulls for me, normally go like this:

Pull 'em all and Shockwave. It's great for some burst threat and a stun (that stun is awesome since most DPS will open up right away). Followed by a Thunderclap. Then just tab target Dev/Shield Slam around, while Thunderclapping. You shouldn't use shockwave again. It has a 20 sec CD and if you have to use it twice on one pull, then your AoE is fail. What I mean by that is the mobs should be dead or less than 10%, so saving your shockwave for the next pull is ideal.

It'll come with time as you tank more and more.

Yeah you are right about the AOE, Tanks definitely need a little bit more finesse when it comes to multiple aggro. I was playing my paladin tank last night and I noticed I felt far less involved in the fight, I really don't have to think at all. With the warrior I have to keep an eye on my tidy plates to see who is losing threat. I will take your advice about shockwave, i just like it so much though.

Gnomeregan will be recaptured before Cataclysm!

Trolls appear to have a similar thing going on. Maybe now they'll finally take down the trolls at Echo Isles!

Also, big PvP changes coming next patch, already going on the PTR.

Oh! And PTR Patchnotes!

I could link all the information, but you'd just be scrolling for an hour.

Go here: http://www.mmo-champion.com

(Y) :D

No kidding. That has to be one of the most overlooked specs in the game by Blizzard. It's amazing how long they've just ignored it.

"Ignored" classes would be something like the moonkin: They weren't viable in PVP or PVE all through classic and TBC.

Subtlety rogues had their moment in the sun during T6 when it was the only PVP spec worth playing. If you had access

to high end gear they could also be main-tanks for end-game content (we had one tank Illidan, Mother Shaz, and Gruul

just to prove you could).

"Ignored" classes would be something like the moonkin: They weren't viable in PVP or PVE all through classic and TBC.

Subtlety rogues had their moment in the sun during T6 when it was the only PVP spec worth playing. If you had access

to high end gear they could also be main-tanks for end-game content (we had one tank Illidan, Mother Shaz, and Gruul

just to prove you could).

I mean since Wrath, not the beginning of the game...

It's simply bothersome because they sit there saying how they've worked to make each spec a viable option and whatnot, yet while making sure warlocks are buffed just to the right amount, little to no effort has been put in for Sub rogues.

I don't play a rogue either by the way. I'd just like all specs to at least get some attention.

I'm a Level 53 Human Warrior - "Knights of the Order" guild

The game rocks full stop, it is a game that if truly for retired gamers. You could spend your whole life on it if you could. Anyone that need help just as i'll let you know what realm I'm on and you can join out 100+ guild. They all love to help player lvl so that we can build a large raiding guild in the future..!!

Good luck all..

Oh, and I think sub rogues should get a talent related to the poisons they use. I mean, assassination rogues have Master Poisoner (3% critical chance against poisoned targets), combat rogues have Savage Combat (4% more damage against poisoned targets), and for me, sub rogues are missing that talent. After all, we rogues get a lot of our damage from poisons.

DPS Paladin, needed on this, tank said he's going to report me now :laugh:

I am going to go prot at 80 though.

Better options via quest rewards at 80. He can't report you for taking the item, but taking a ring from a guy who is leveling prot is a tad bit rude.

1378609688t.jpg

Could this be... ? WoW 2.0 ?

Sure, if WoW was rendered in Bryce and looked like ****.

---

I have a very weird problem.

I have an an addon, I THINK.. that is causing my Who List to randomly pop up and type in someone's name randomly, a completely 100% random name, and search for them.

I can't figure out what it is.. :(

I've disabled all my chat/whisper related addons.. and it STILL does it.

Any one got any ideas?

Sure, if WoW was rendered in Bryce and looked like ****.

---

I have a very weird problem.

I have an an addon, I THINK.. that is causing my Who List to randomly pop up and type in someone's name randomly, a completely 100% random name, and search for them.

I can't figure out what it is.. :(

I've disabled all my chat/whisper related addons.. and it STILL does it.

Any one got any ideas?

A list of all addons would help.

Better options via quest rewards at 80. He can't report you for taking the item, but taking a ring from a guy who is leveling prot is a tad bit rude.

He was a 70 warrior and couldn't even use the ring till 72.

He was a 70 warrior and couldn't even use the ring till 72.

But by your own admission he would still be using it better (and for longer) than you.

You'll get the same from a single socketed gem at 80. It's bad form to take items that suit another players archetype if you currently aren't specced that way yourself.

And yes, as tanking goes you'll get much better long before 80, bear in mind you want to be defcapped pretty quick, that ring is pretty useless.

But by your own admission he would still be using it better (and for longer) than you.

You'll get the same from a single socketed gem at 80. It's bad form to take items that suit another players archetype if you currently aren't specced that way yourself.

And yes, as tanking goes you'll get much better long before 80, bear in mind you want to be defcapped pretty quick, that ring is pretty useless.

No, the rings I had were crap, it was a big improvement for me as well, even as levelling on ret.

Even the rest of my party said "this isn't a raid, need if you need".

It's dropped last 3 times I ran that instance, just outrolled, kid needed to calm down and run it again, as I said he's only level 70, run it till 72 and you'll have it easily.

No, the rings I had were crap, it was a big improvement for me as well, even as levelling on ret.

Even the rest of my party said "this isn't a raid, need if you need".

It's dropped last 3 times I ran that instance, just outrolled, kid needed to calm down and run it again, as I said he's only level 70, run it till 72 and you'll have it easily.

If it's that common it should still go to the tank as prio..

Need = mainspec

Greed = offspec

Which was clearly the case.

I took my alt protadin through HoR twice to get the tanking drops I was after, I still know people farming it nightly for them. Just because the RNG was favorable to you doesn't mean it is for everyone. I still know folk who haven't had the chocolate cake recipe after two and a half years of cooking dailies.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Posts

    • Nope. That lack of surround sound capability (analog) won't fly with me. Sure, I use headphones most of the time, but still.
    • Creative Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe review: your headphones will love it by Steven Parker If you have been reading Neowin for any length of time, you may remember that I reviewed the Sound Blaster Audigy FX Pro back in April. I found it to be an excellent budget sound card, even though it lacked support for formats such as DTS over the included SPDIF port. Anyway, Creative reached out to me again asking if I was interested in reviewing the Sound Blaster AE-X. It is a card mainly targeted at headphone wearers, which I'll get into a bit later. Before we get underway, here is a disclaimer: Creative Labs provided a free sample without any review pre-approval. Here are the full specs of it: Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Dimensions: 179 x 126 x 18 mm Weight: 263g / 9.28 oz Platform: PCI-e DAC: ESS ES9039Q2M Connectivity Options Side: Rear: 1 x HD Audio Front Panel Connector, 1 x ⅛“ Headphone port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Left) port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Right) port, 1 x Coaxial SPDIF-out port, 1 x ⅛“ Mic in/Line-in port, 1 x TOSLINK SPDIF-in port Surround: No DNR / SNR: THD+N: 0.0001% Dynamic Range 130 dB Recording Resolution: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Direct Mode: Line Out (Stereo): PCM up to 32-bit  384 kHz Coaxial SPDIF Out: PCM up to 24-bit 192.0 kHz Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 384kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128, DSD256 Output Impedance: 1Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 8–600Ω, IEM: 0.5Vrms, Low: 1.5Vrms, Mid: 3Vrms, High: 6Vrms, Maximum output power: 350mW @ 32Ω (High), Maximum output voltage: 6Vrms (High) Front Panel Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128 Output Impedance: 10Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 32–300Ω, Maximum output power: 40mW @ 32Ω, Maximum output voltage: 1.9Vrms ASIO: ASIO 2.3 Total Harmonic Distortion: THD+N: 0.0006% Dynamic Range: 114 dB Scout Mode: Yes EMI shielding: No (but it passed all the FCC emission tests) Operating temperature: 0–45°C Input Power: 12V⎓0.5A Warranty: 1 Year (MSRP) Price: $179.99 / £169.99 The Sound Blaster AE-X was announced at the end of May, and it becomes clear that it is mainly for headphone wearers. I should also note that the card does not support DDL/DTS encoding technology, but it is said to support decoding through the coaxial SPDIF port. I was able to test this working with the classic Windows Sound properties, but I could not get a DTS (decode) signal through my Logitech Z906, it defaulted to 3D sound whenever I played DTS content through Plex or Emby. In addition, this card only supports two channels (stereo) over the speakers. The surround support is limited to the Headphone Amp, so before I get underway, what we have here is a card mostly intended for headphone use, especially with its SPDIF In (Toslink) port where you could connect another device like a console. So what about the highlights of this card? The AE-X is powered by the ESS SABRE DAC (ES9039Q2M), which is capable of a 130 dB dynamic range. In addition, it supports 32-bit/384 kHz playback for deeper detail and clarity. The headphone amplifier delivers up to 350 mW @ 32Ω, which admittedly far surpasses standard onboard audio, offering support for studio-grade headphones. DSD256 and ASIO 2.3 are also supported. What doesn't it have? No support for What-U-Hear, Super X-Fi, or the SmartComms Kit No EMI shielding, but it passed all the FCC emission tests (from the FAQ) I also want to make it clear that I am no audiophile. For me, it's purely subjective and it should just "work" out of the box. First impressions As I said in the introduction, I was a bit sad to see that the AE-X only supports stereo output, meaning it would not be on par with my ALC1220 over my speakers, as I mentioned it seems like this card is marketed toward headphone users. Since I am not an avid gamer that would rule me out as a potential customer, but I can still test its capabilities! The card arrived in a nice-looking box, as shown above. It's quite a bit larger than the Audify FX Pro that I reviewed back in April, and at first I thought the covering meant that it was EMI shielded, but it isn't as mentioned above in the highlights section. What's in the box: 1 x Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe card 1 x 3.5 mm CTIA TRRS to Dual TRS Headset Splitter Cable 1 x Quick Start Guide Aside from the Quick Start Guide, which someone at my age (I guess) needs a magnifying glass to read thanks to the tiny fonts, Creative Labs also has the manual online, which first requires you to prove that you're human in order to access it (so I can't direct link it). Anyway, the box is mostly made up of cardboard, and the only plastic in it is the anti-static bag for the card itself. Design Top Bottom The card itself looks pretty cool and actually wouldn't look out of place in an all-white build. There's only one connector, and for some reason it is awkwardly placed on the side (front-facing) that is for the front panel audio connector, which will let you use the headphones through the front PC audio jack. Since the front panel Headphone Amp has fewer capabilities than the rear headphone port, I decided not to use it. Rear of card PCI-e interface The rear of the card is completely open and is normally where you would find the front panel connector. The PCIe interface side is completely covered, which initially made me think it was EMI shielded. I/O panel Side (front-facing) with Front panel connector On the outer rear bracket side we have the TOSLINK SPDIF in, Coaxial SPDIF out, RCA line out (Right), RCA line out (Left), Headphone out, and Mic/Line in ports. On the front facing portion of the card itself is the F-panel connector. Usage Test System Our test system consists of the following: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER (BIOS F12) Corsair RM1000x (2024) Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut (33x33x0,2mm) 2x 32GB Kingston Fury Beast RGB DDR5 6000MT/s CL36-38-38-80 T-Force Z540 2TB (PCIe Gen5) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition (NVIDIA) Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Windows 11 25H2 Pro I installed the card into the Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER which includes the RealTek ALC1220 onboard audio. For our subjective listening tests, I used the Coaxial SPDIF port to my Logitech Z906 speakers. For headphone tests I used the OneOdio Studio Max 2 Wireless DJ Headphones that I reviewed last month. After installing the audio driver, I installed Creative Nexus, which is a relatively new app designed for the latest Sound Blaster cards. Then I discovered the AE-X needed both a driver update from 1.00.15.0001 to 1.01.09.000 and a firmware update from 1.00.06.0000 to 1.00.06.0002, then I was set to go. It should be noted that the card did not work without the driver (not Plug and Play). As you can see above, you can manage the firmware, driver, and inputs via Advanced Settings on the Device tab. By default Nexus enabled "Direct Mode". Upon clicking on Acoustic Engine, the Equalizer can be enabled and set to four different presets, which are: Gaming Music Movies Footsteps Enhancer There's also a dedicated Scout Mode for gamers. I mainly used Tidal and Spotify in the past week to listen to some of my Liked Songs (which now total over 700) in Shuffle mode; there were no pops or interference that I could hear. I also found a 5.1 Surround Music playlist on Tidal that sounded really great over Studio Max 2 headphones. When I reviewed the Audigy FX Pro, I went out and purchased a Logitech Z906 set second-hand for €100 specifically to use with the card, but in this instance all I could get on the AE-X was the 3D output of surround sound through Coaxial SPDIF and although it still sounded great, it isn't quite as good as DTS Interactive via my onboard Realtek ALC1220. Conclusion So what have I learned? The AE-X lacks multi-channel support for 5.1/7.1 setups and drops support for modern surround technologies like Dolby or DTS, functioning strictly as a stereo output device. So to really benefit, you will need Studio-grade headphones to "hear" the benefits of this card. With that being said, I can imagine it will appeal to gamers who are switching between console and PC. By utilizing the SPDIF in port, you could just plug your headphones into the AE-X (front or rear port) and then switch between PC and Console without having to move the headphones to a different port. As I said in the Sound Blaster Audigy review, the EQ in the Creative Nexus app offers safe presets, which allows a user to further tweak the lows, mids, and highs for a personal listening experience. Of course it all depends on the headphones you hook up to it. Speaking of headphones, I kind of wish I had higher-quality Studio-grade headphones to really test this card with; I'm not usually wearing headphones in my day to day duties. The only time I will wear them is if I want to listen to music very late at night and I don't want to disturb my neighbors, so my rating (verdict) is based on this fact. Someone with a PC/Console setup and wears headphone religiously to game, and consume media will benefit much more than I from the high-quality Headphone Amps that are included in the AE-X. Once again, I do feel like Creative could have gone the extra mile to support the S/PDIF port a bit more. Why include it if you're not supporting the main popular digital formats? It seems like the decision was more of a legacy-based one, offering uncompressed 2-channel PCM audio, for users with high-fidelity audio systems and external DACs. Maybe I will be lucky enough to review a card that truly includes all these features in the future. I am sure readers with far more knowledge on audio systems than me will correct me in the comments below. I'll just say I am happy to learn what I don't know! Where to buy The Sound Blaster AE-X is available to purchase now in preorder for $179.99 on the U.S. Creative website, or for £169.99 on the Creative UK website and will start shipping to customers from June 25.
    • $80 or 90%, anything else would be financial suicide one way or another.
    • Or... just use Bitwarden. Free, and has on-prem option as well. Works both on desktop and mobile, wherever you are. The age of local password files is over.
    • Thanks
  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      Supreme Spray LV earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      Genuinetonerink- Dubai earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Genuinetonerink- Dubai earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Year In
      hhgygy earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Week One Done
      AMV earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      513
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      164
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      88
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      74
    5. 5
      Michael Scrip
      73
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!