This entry is part of the series: The Casual Raider's Handbook
- The Casual Raider’s Handbook: Paying Market Value
- The Casual Raider’s Handbook: Gearing Strategies for All Play Schedules
- The Casual Raider’s Handbook: Planning, Scheduling, and Plotting (in-game and out)
- The Casual Raider’s Handbook: Don’t Procrastinate
- The Casual Raider’s Handbook: Working Stupid Hours
- The Casual Raider’s Handbook: Professions
- The Casual Raider’s Handbook: Night Before Raid Checklist
Last Week
One lazy Sunday, I made my flasks for a Friday raid. Now, this may be crazy thinking ahead, but it was a good lull time where nothing was going on, so I thought I’d get the necessaries out of the way “just in case.”
The best kind of raiding flask.
That week, I got crit by work for maximum late-night pwnage. Suddenly it’s Thursday, and I’ve barely been online since that blissful Sunday afternoon (farming herbs seems blissful when compared to work). Never fear. I’m still raid-ready.
This Week
I figured the same thing couldn’t possibly happen two weeks in a row, RIGHT? No of course not.
Then I got the vomit-virus of DOOOOOOOOM. (Dooooom I tell you!) Nevertheless, because I had all week to get it done, I managed to do a little herb farming here and there.
Just last night I finished the flasks that ATT and I would need for the weekend. I’d better not still have the ick when we go up against (AND TOTALLY PWN) Magmaw this Friday. Which is tomorrow!
The Lesson
Do things early. Seize opportunities of quiet time when they present themselves.
- Get your gear gemmed and enchanted as soon as you get a new piece.
- Prepare your flasks and food ahead of time.
- Read up on your strats a few days before, with a refresher the night before.
- Monitor the patch notes on patch day, so you know if there are any changes that apply to you, and make adjustments ASAP.
That way when “shit happens”, it won’t derail your raid. If you’re raiding on Friday, you can’t guarantee being able to do raid prep on Thursday. Your kid could vomit all over. It happens. It has happened. It’s pretty gross.
Planning ahead with flasks and food also lets you get a more reasonable price on consumables. Traditionally, weekends are the best time to buy farmable raw mats – casual weekend players farm then sell right away. Snatch the stuff you need then find an elixir master to get you some flasks.
Ugh so true. The prices are insane, which is why I’m studiously farming at this point. I think I need to change spec, at least for now, from transmute to flask. Honestly, with the prices as they are, if you get ONE proc, it pays for the 150 gold respec cost. Hell, you could even afford to respec back if there is a lot o’ gem transmuting to do all at once. The only reason I haven’t done it YET is that it requires a trip to the stormspire (ew).