[RG2] Ellrin, Lvl 100 Retribution Paladin

[Ellrin]

Who is your character?
Ellrin, Paladin, MS-Retribution OS-Protection
http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/character/g ... rin/simple

Before continuing I should mention that this application is probably a bit strange. Around 14 months ago I was searching for a new guild. I found TRC, almost finished an application only to choose another guild in the end. Mistakes were made and here I am 14 months later actually applying to TRC. Problem is I haven't been raiding since first week of HFC. With Legion pre-patch already downloaded I do not consider learning all the new stuff about my spec worthy. That combined would leave some parts of my application empty, almost. So to give at least a picture of what kind of player I am, I will include what I wrote in my original application and mark those sections as OUTDATED. Ideal? No, but the best I can offer right now.

Who are you?
My name is Jan, I'm used to be called John or Hans. I'm 27 and living in Czech Republic. I studied Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Internal Combustion Engines and I'm running my own business revolving around automobiles. Well, mostly my own these days since my father has been trying to retire for several years - an uneasy task for a workaholic. There is no schedule in my life so sometimes I need to work in the evening/night.

To which Raid Group are you Applying?
RG2. In the past I enjoyed raiding the hardest content WoW can offer, but life got in the way and now I just don't have enough time to do so.

Experience
WotLK
Everything except Lich King 25HC – while current, including Immortal and Insanity

WoD
HM 7/7HC
BRF 10/10HC 2/10M
HFC 6/13N 3/13HC - only raided first week of HFC

I started playing WoW in late BC as a newbie on WoW-US thanks to my Lithuanian friend who lived in Chicago. Wait, WHAT!? Let me explain - we met during his semester at my university in Czech Republic. He introduced me to this game but wasn't kind enough to tell me there are European servers as well. This wasn't an issue back then, I had all classes in afternoon, rich nightlife and late night/early morning raiding alongside acceptable ping thanks to being on fastest non-governmental connection available. Life was great.

My first raiding experience was in 3.0 after my guild lost 2 out of 3 tanks. Suddenly I was a co-tank in my 25man guild as warrior in 3.0 and 3.1, paladin in 3.2 and finally DK in 3.3 (up to HC Sindragosa pre-patch). I also played DPS specs with all three of my tanks while we were farming/alt raiding and except druid and shaman I managed to play all viable specs of other classes in both PVE and PVP environments. Yes, I spent too much time playing during my studies.
I refused to play during Cata and MoP thinking I was too cool for that (more like fool not cool) until WoD was announced. Then I created a new account on WoW-EU, US servers were not an option anymore.

In WoD I only raided as Paladin, MS Retribution and OS Protection. At one point I tried Holy... nah at best. I casually played Frost/Blood DK and WW Monk.

Raid Role
OUTDATED. I checked anyway and seems like nothing has changed.

Ret paladin is and always has been a support spec beside producing DPS. So I usually take clemency and Glyph of Sacrifice to have 2x HoP/HoS to throw. I also watch hp of tanks during movement/high damage phases to use LoH if needed. Divine Shield can be used to clear some debuffs, like rend and tear (after getting 2 stacks because pug tanks), or solo soaking inferno slice, ignoring grasping hands etc.

I could go on about paladin's utility kit, but we all know it from other applications (oh yes I took a look at other ret applications :O ). We have the best tools among DPS specs to survive and I enjoy using those tools, for example BH balcony or destroying that last box far away while Oregorger is rolling my way.

Regarding preparation - I love theorycrafting. I don't have time to do it on my own anymore so every day I check Solsacra's PvE Ret paladin thread on mmo-champion forums, official wow site for updates (US version to get the info faster) and various addon sites for the latest news and changes.

I'm used to looking at warcraftlogs.com to see how I'm doing. I have only one HFC log up there because I don't currently raid with any guild.

Your Spec
OUTDATED. Written during BRF with T17 4pc.

Retribution
Ret paladin doesn't have a set rotation but a huge APL which changes depending on number and priority of present targets, available procs and their duration left. I very much enjoy this reactive style of gameplay.
General rule is to pool HoPo whenever a generator is available (HoW>Exo_BC>CS>J>Exo) if at 4 or less HoPo and spend HoPo on finishers when it is at 5 or when no generator is available at 4 or 3 HoPo. Fot this I use Hekili. However, I don't follow it blindly. There are many factors to consider - ring / trinket / weapon ench procs and their time remaining - for example if I am at 3 HoPo with a generator available and I have 1 second of mastery proc left I will always prioritize a finisher (unless the generator is HoW). About HoW and Exo_BC - when 2 or more cleave targets are present and both abilities are available I use Exo_BC before HoW to build HoPo, unless I would waste HoPo by doing so. On single target EDS is used only with FV buff. 2+ targets EDS can be used without FV buff, regular DS always only with FV buff. Seal of righteousness for 3+ targets (without Censure dotting, otherwise 4+), Hammer of the Righteous instead of CS for 4+ targets. Seal of truth for single target and 2/3 targets while keeping 5 stacks of Censure on both/all 3.

Opener: pre-pot, ES/LH, Judgement if running long distance to target, AW + HoW, Exo_BC, FV, regular rotation.
Stats prio - Mastery is ahead of the rest by solid but not a great distance. Other secondary stats are very close to each other. Mastery>Haste=MS=Crit>Versatility.

The best talent choice for T17 4pc is DP FV. No argument possible. For tier 90 talent I swap ES and LH depending on encounter. Tier 60 usually Clemency, for BH I prefer Unbreakable Spirit with Glyph of Divine Protection to have DP available for every demolition / smash.

Off-specs and Alternative characters
Protection - 6/7HC 9/10N 7/10HC
I keep myself up to date by reading mmo-champion Protection paladin thread, until recently (14 months) also sacredduty.net. I would have no problem switching to Prot for a night.

Paladin is my main and the only character I've raided with in WoD. Other lvl 100 characters are DK in basic PvP gear and Monk without any reasonable gear. Currently levelling warrior. Picking up a new class/spec has never been a problem for me.

In Legion I intend to main warrior once again (I always come back to the master race). I haven't made my final choice though, still thinking about DK and Paladin. Watching spec previews is one thing, actually playing is another. I've always most enjoyed playing plate classes, leather melee or any ranged don't feel right for me.

Communication
I have no problem using a voice comm, but I am not the kind of guy who entertains the whole raid during trash. When something needs to be said I say it.
Checking forums daily is no problem.

Combat Logs
As written earlier, HFC only first week so I include BRF logs:
https://www.warcraftlogs.com/rankings/c ... 7079766/7/ Before transferring
https://www.warcraftlogs.com/rankings/c ... 9909112/7/ After transferring, Mythic looks bad (not THAT bad in my ilvl bracket), HC was better.
https://www.warcraftlogs.com/rankings/c ... 112/latest First week of HFC

Your UI
Screenshots are from earlier BRF, since then I moved to 1440p screen and for Legion I am going to switch to Weak Auras finally. In current UI I use IceHUD for procs and buffs, vuh:do for raid frames. Other than that should be normal.
Retribution: http://imgur.com/nkZRiIB
Protection: http://imgur.com/Rlq4Z1q
edit: there is clcRet in Ret UI, I switched to Hekili and forgot to mention

Guild History
<Aware> Defias Brotherhood. The goal for WoD was HC, we did 7/7HC in January, but struggled through BRF and ended 8/10HC as we were losing members every week. Only two of us continued to 10/10HC. I would like to say a bit more about this guild. In one of other applications that I read was a mention about Aware being full of light racism and sexism (not sure about exact wording) - only partially true. I chose to ignore some people, made two good friends and focused myself on raiding. Over time the occasional bad behaviour disappeared and it was quite enjoyable place to stay for me. Eventually the guild was disbanded.

<Entropy> Grim Batol. In this guild we smashed our heads against Mythic BRF for last 3 weeks before 6.2, where I got only 2 kills, guild was 4/10. HFC was released, 5 out of 7 nights of raiding during first week to get 6/13N and 3/13HC. This guild was not for me on any level, not even socially (actually that was the worst part). At that moment I was completely burned out and quit raiding. They aren't bad though, 12/13M at this moment and still going, but I have nothing to do with their progress. I am still a member of this guild.
10 years is very respectable age and it seems like TRC is here to stay. From reading everything I could read I simply like you guys already. Once again I want to be part of a community, not randomly generated bunch of raiders that serves as tool for GM and officers to get what they want.

Raid availability
2 days and starting at 20:30 is great for me. Rarely I can be a bit late when there's work to be done, RARELY.

References
I found TRC by searching on my own and unfortunately I don't know anyone in your guild.

About you
Beside what I already wrote about me, my whole life is about cars, all sorts of them. Everything that has four wheels, consumes a lot of gasoline and smells like burnt rubber.
I lived in Portugal for 2 semesters during my studies and in Lithuania after that for a while. I like to drink beer from all around the world and surprisingly enough – Lithuania has the best in my opinion.

Miscellaneous
Armory doesn't do any good to my tmog, here's how it actually looks:
http://imgur.com/NRUdOqJ

Thank You for reading and hoping to hear back from You soon.

[Xanthi]

Thank you for your application, give us a while to deliberate.
I also presume this is mainly applying towards legion, as RG2 is on a break until legion hits right now.

[Ellrin]

Sorry for not including that info right away. Yes, I aim for Legion raiding.

[Xanthi]

Your application has been approved. You can whisper an officer for an invite to the guild and once that is handled, you can poke one of the RG2 management (Fahranya & the miscreants)

[Ellrin]

Thank You, I will get the transfer going and get in touch tomorrow in the evening.

[Ellrin]

Transfer is complete but I'm having technical issues with my rig, PSU died. I should be online in-game within 2 days. Sorry.

[Stukov]

<recruited>