So apparently I raid now.

Well, I solo raids.

I blame Transmogrification for all of this.  Wait, scratch that.  I blame the ugly Klaxxi Swords that you buy from the Quartermaster once you reach Exalted.  My DK looks sharp, and while I don’t dress to impress others I would like him to be pleasing to my eye.   The Amber Flammard of Klaxxi’vess does not have nearly the adequate amount of menace and face-killing that I desire in my weapons.

It looks like a slice of fruit with thorns.

I searched for an appropriate two hander to use as a transmog item for the blade.  The first one I decided to go after was the Manslayer of the Qiraji, a drop off of General Rajaxx in the Ruins of Ahn’Qiraj (or AQ 20).  A twenty man raid instance that I outlevelled by thirty levels seemed doable to me.  I didn’t look at boss strats or anything.  I just went in with a gearscore of 450, a Blood tanking spec with DPS gear, and blew things up.

I got to the General, introduced him to the Main Man, and he died.  I was pleased when I peeled the Manslayer off his corpse.  I didn’t realize how pleased I should have been to get this blade on my first attempt, since it has a TEN PERCENT DROP RATE!

I am the 10%

Satisfied, I went no further.  My mistake was then looking to see if there was another sword I should try for, and found that there was one right next door – Kalimdor’s Revenge, in the Temple of Ahn’Qiraj (or AQ 40).  This one dropped off one of the Twin Emperors.  I was a bit more mindful approaching this one.  Yes, I was a much higher level but the raid was designed for forty people at level 60.  You’d think it would be a little tougher.

It was.  A little.

Oh not the trash, that stuff scattered like leaves in the wind.  The bosses had some interesting mechanics, especially the Twin Emperors.  That’s when I clued in that I was going to have to do some research.  I fought them until I (assume?) hit the enrage timer and then sloooowly burned me down.  I never got them down to more than 80%.

I licked my wounds, swallowed my pride, and was actually glad I’d gotten my ass kicked.  It taught me to respect the raid, regardless of what my level was.  There were going to be bosses who had mechanics that could kill me if I didn’t keep my head in the game.  So I went to Youtube, watched a video, and the next time I rolled up to  the Twin Emps they went down like a hooker on payday.

And lo, I snagged the Sword.

I spanked ’em and took their toys. It’s how I roll.

More video, more clearing, and more toys.  After a couple of minutes fighting C’Thun, I was a Lone Wolf Raider.

I can has raid loot?

Just like that, I discovered a new hobby – Raid Soloing.