Patch 5.4: Budgeting for the Patch

Posted by J.E. Douglas at 12:37 PM

0 comments View Comments

It is only days away from Patch 5.4 and the rush to whoop some Hellscream butt.   Players are going to finally get to see just how much work has gone into the last (possibly) patch for the MOP expansion and the end to an epic storyline.

If you have been keeping up with the joneses you already have a large amount of your materials stocked up for the two week push after the patch.  After purchasing your ore and your cloth and every item that can be sold for a buck you're raring to go.

But there are still a few that are looking at the last days to pick up deals.   The most important thing is to not get swept up in the hoopla of investment.   If you have already stockpiled you should be looking at just how much of your budget has been spent on your own crafters.  How much have you invested to flip for profits.  Whether it's in gold or percentage a budget can keep you from falling into the pit of overinvestment that players fall into. 

For the new patch I split my investments four ways.   I decided to budget 10,000g towards what I needed for my own crafters and 20,000g for resell.  The 10,000g was split among the four different raw materials (herbs,  ore,  cloth,  Misc), and the 20,000g was split among four investment types (weapons,  armor,  crafting flips,  Misc).   My goal with that two week period is to hit about 400% profit margin.  

Budgeting may seem tedious to perform.  Why not just throw money at something that looks good.  This ends up being a hit or miss strategy with more misses than hits.  The importance of being surgical in your investment is just as important as knowing what buttons to push when your raiding.

Speaking of raiding,  players are going to want to max out their justice points so tanks and healers can net a large profit just from offering to sell their services for gold.  Runs will be quick (especially with level 90's in good gear) so just grabbing a few sales from players and running 2-3 instances can net 1000g an hour easily (assuming 15 minute runs at 250g per player).

Budgeting your time is also as important as budgeting your gold.   If your not running instances look for flips and for sales.  Buying stacks off the auction house and barking in trade chat for a profit can net profits just as much as any other worth investment.  Just look outside the well worn box for what can bring in the gold.

This weekend will be interesting.  If you need me I'll be the dancing Tauren on the mailbox in Orgrimmar accepting tips.

Good Luck and Good Hunting

Want to get in contact with me? . Email me at Dragonbear @ gmail. dOT com or find me on twitter at "@JMTCMommar" You can find me hanging out on the Shandris Server, chat me up, and I will buy you a glass of juice. 

Get thee To a TradeSkillMaster 2.0
Patch 5.4 Prep:  No Sleep til Brooklyn
Customer First
You're Squishing My Items
The Ways of The Force Are Strange
It's a Date.. Maybe?
Kill The Death Knight.. Kill It Now
Time to Remodel The Financial House
Sense Of Entitlement
Patch 5.4:   Golden Lotus Beatdown
Four Levels of Wow Activity
Patch 5.4:  Preparing your Farmers
Patch 5.4:  Easy Gear.. Easy Go
Prepping for Patch 5.4: The Beginning
The End of a Pricing Era
Patch 5.4 prep:   Do You Know Where Your Tailor Is?

Get thee To a TradeSkillMaster 2.0

Posted by J.E. Douglas at 11:09 AM

0 comments View Comments

If you have ever looked over at Curse.com or Wowinterface.com there are a plethora (there is your quarter word for the day) of addons.   Addons that can change your view of the world.  Addons that can change how you attack,  defend, play pvp etc.   Just about anything you can dream about (other than farm for you).

One of the caveats I've always had is the attempt to automate gold making.  Addons can give you a large amount of information on the economy.  Addons cannot make those decisions for you with 100% accuracy.  No matter what the amount of information put into any gold making system,  there are peaks and valleys in a market that can cause hiccups in the system.

The other caveat I've always had with large money making addons is the idea that they are a jack of all trades and master of none. Addons becomes so large that it takes a college degree to be able to do the simplest of actions.  The Auctioneer addon fell into this trap.  The original version of Trade Skill Master also fell into this trap.  Both are excellent pieces of programming without the Blizzard API system.  But unless you spent hours and hours of tinkering most players would only use 2-3 parts of the system.

Now many journals ran reviews of the new Trade Skill Master.  I delayed mine the same reason that I delay jumping from one version of Windows to the 'upgrade'.  There are always bugs to work out even after an extensive beta testing.  Bugs are just going to happen with new software.  It is a part of having worked with computers for over 30 years (yes I'm that old).  I downloaded the beta version of the software and liked it.  Upgrading to the release version of the addon didn't change my like for the new interface and changes to increase productivity.   Now a couple of weeks ago version 2.1 was released that fixed many 'undisclosed software features' and made Trade Skill Master into a force to be reckoned with.

Sapu94, Bart39 and Drethic along with a large contingency of testers and developers have created the must have addon for any serious gold maker.  But fair warning:  It is still big and daunting.  It has a high learning curve to be able to put it through it's paces.  But it has improved many of the simple functions as well as made a complete overhaul for posting and storage.

There are already many tutorials and walk throughs on setting up your new toy properly.

TSM Official Forum from Sapu94
Cyan TSM has a good starting setup guide on TSM 2.0
TSM 2.0 video Tutorial by Phat Lootz

After you have all of your items ready for the patch day next week.  Take a look at TSM 2.0 and see if you're ready to take a dive into the deep end of the pool. 

Good Luck and Good Hunting

Want to get in contact with me? . Email me at Dragonbear @ gmail. dOT com or find me on twitter at "@JMTCMommar" You can find me hanging out on the Shandris Server, chat me up and I will buy you a glass of juice. 

Patch 5.4 Prep:  No Sleep til Brooklyn
Customer First
You're Squishing My Items
The Ways of The Force Are Strange
It's a Date.. Maybe?
Kill The Death Knight.. Kill It Now
Time to Remodel The Financial House
Sense Of Entitlement
Patch 5.4:   Golden Lotus Beatdown
Four Levels of Wow Activity
Patch 5.4:  Preparing your Farmers
Patch 5.4:  Easy Gear.. Easy Go
Prepping for Patch 5.4: The Beginning
The End of a Pricing Era
Patch 5.4 prep:   Do You Know Where Your Tailor Is?

Patch 5.4: It's a Date? Maybe?

Posted by J.E. Douglas at 12:39 PM

0 comments View Comments

So one of the powers that be (Tom Chilton) in an interview on a german fan site (yes,  we are multicultural here) that the 5.4 patch has been pushed back to September 10th (11th for the gang in Europe).

This gives everyone about 2 1/2 weeks to get moving on finishing their goals leading up to the new patch.   This new date isn't etched in stone but the background downloader kicked in a couple of days ago so the waiting was upgraded to 'sooner if not later'.

With all the changes that are going to occur with the new patch,  finishing up your honey-do list becomes that much more important.   Even my list has a large amount to work on:

-   Max out Valor/Justice Points on Three toons

-   Max out Honor/Conquest points on one toon

-   Finish Dailies in Barrens for Radical Mojo for armor upgrades

-   Look for deals for gahzrooki

-   Buy supply of Exotic Leathers and Ghost Iron Ore/Bars to cover daily crafting burn

-   Finish off leveling two crafters to 90 (yes I have been slacking)

-   Prepare to craft new glyphs (need more inks)

-   Gear up two farmers to farm new areas with 5.4

-   Keep addons updated (more on this later in the week)

-   Work with TradeSkillMaster 2.1 (Definitely more on this later in the week)

All of this along with listing auctions and flipping for profit.   It will be a busy two weeks waiting for the patch to download.   What is on your agenda to get finished?

Good Luck and Good Hunting

Want to get in contact with me? . Email me at Dragonbear @ gmail. dOT com or find me on twitter at "@JMTCMommar" You can find me hanging out on the Shandris Server, chat me up and I will buy you a glass of juice. 


Kill The Death Knight.. Kill It Now
Time to Remodel The Financial House
Sense Of Entitlement
Patch 5.4:   Golden Lotus Beatdown
Four Levels of Wow Activity
Patch 5.4:  Preparing your Farmers
Patch 5.4:  Easy Gear.. Easy Go
Prepping for Patch 5.4: The Beginning
The End of a Pricing Era
Patch 5.4 prep:   Do You Know Where Your Tailor Is?
The Pitfalls of Trade Barking
7.7 Million Customers and Nothing Sells
Priorities in PVP Gear Pricing
Prep for Patch 5.4: Long Term Goals
Weekend Is Here
Take Me To Naxx
Profit Anonymous

Patch 5.4: Golden Lotus Beatdown

Posted by J.E. Douglas at 12:27 PM

0 comments View Comments

Mommar here.

When starting Mists of Pandaria the biggest grind was obtaining revered with the Golden Lotus faction.  It was a long grind of finishing dailies.  After finishing the first set if you had a high enough reputation you could go to the next set.  Ultimately reaching revered and unlocking other quest hubs for Shado-pan and August Cestials.

Patch 5.3 unlocked the necessity to have revered reputation with Golden Lotus to have access to new quest areas.   With 5.4 the Vale of Eternal Blossoms gets a complete remake.   Assuming you call a place that looks like it was blown up with an atom bomb a remake.

The Golden Lotus after patch 5.4 is going to be an old school's reputation beat down.   Elite mobs giving you 200 reputation.  Lesser mobs only give you 5 rep per kill.   But fear not for there are a lot of mobs to kill in the area.

You also have access to the daily farmer order if you have leveled your farm high enough to have access.   Also there are random mobs that drop tokens that will give you rep.  Don't forget to also pick up your Grand Commendation of the Golden Lotus to increase your reputation grinding.

But don't forget to try your hardest to hit exalted before patch 5.4.   The achievement http://www.wowhead.com/achievement=7315/eternally-in-the-vale will not be available after patch 5.4 drops.  And many players are already going to be farming this area for the new Profession patterns.  So there will be a lot of players running around this area killing things that it might become frustrating to get that last couple of mobs to become awesome with The GL Corps (yes,  I said it.).

The patterns are even useful for selling to alternates as well as personal use.  Also remember that with patch 5.4 much of the gear that was available for valor points will now be sold for Justice Points.  This will put a huge boost on newly minted 90 players getting them into raiding that much faster.

Lots of exciting changes are just around the corner with patch 5.4.  Now is the time to push through the boredom and get your lineup set for the last phase of Mists of Pandaria.  Working smarter and not harder is the key to being the best gold goblin you can be.

Good Luck and Good Hunting

Want to get in contact with me? . Email me at Dragonbear @ gmail. dOT com or find me on twitter at "@JMTCMommar" You can find me hanging out on the Shandris Server, chat me up and I will buy you a glass of juice. 


Four Levels of Wow Activity
Patch 5.4:  Preparing your Farmers
Patch 5.4:  Easy Gear.. Easy Go
Prepping for Patch 5.4: The Beginning
The End of a Pricing Era
Patch 5.4 prep:   Do You Know Where Your Tailor Is?
The Pitfalls of Trade Barking
7.7 Million Customers and Nothing Sells
Priorities in PVP Gear Pricing
Prep for Patch 5.4: Long Term Goals
Weekend Is Here
Take Me To Naxx
Profit Anonymous

Only Worth What Someone Will Pay

Finally the end of Cataclysm

Posted by J.E. Douglas at 1:26 PM

0 comments View Comments

Mommar here.

So finally after 5| months after the cataclysm ended and the pandas invaded the last of my investments from cataclysm have been sold.   Having dabbled in low blues,   minerals,  enchanting materials,  a couple of Mechano-hogs and other odds and ends I finished forging,  selling,  repurposing and even some giving away to guildmates and friends of items I had saved for Mists of Pandaria.

After all the numbers are ground out including the giveaways I ended up with a profit range of around 55%.   Not quite what I expected but enough to make it worth the investment.    One thing I found that cannot be seen in the gross numbers is that I enjoyed searching,   working on strategies and overall investing of my gold.   Probably more enjoyment that I would have just from spending to buy items.

Some of the investments were disappointing including minerals.   There was not as much surge in the minerals market from the start as I expected.  Later on while the expansion was maturing sales began to pick up as there were less and less farmers looking at low level materials.

A lot of the 'blame' is laid at the feet of the BMAH.   Players with large amounts of money were looking to save gold for the mounts they always wanted.  While players just getting started were startled by the inflation on items as they were leveling.   This had a wave effect causing players to maybe be less apt to buy items that would be quickly tossed away.  

Some servers were much more healthy economy wise than others.  The more players on the server the more inflation could be adjusted and controlled.   And as with any Gold Goblin not all of my investments panned out.   But overall I was happy with what occurred.

Soon it will be looking to invest for the 5.2 patch.   We will be tackling that in the next week or so the more information that is released from players and the powers that be.   I expect a lot of chances for making gold and to make that swimming pool of gold a lot bigger.   Might need to build an extension on it soon.

Good Luck and Good Hunting


Want to get in contact with me? . Email me at Dragonbearjoe @ gmail. dOT com or find me on twitter at "@JMTCMommar" You can find me hanging out on the Shandris Server, chat me up and I will buy you a glass of juice. 

Previous Entries

Preparing For the Future:   Alts 101
Anonymous Gold Goblin 
Eyes On The Auction House Prize
Self Motivation: The Key To Success
BMAH Blues Return
How Not To Make Gold
Time Management With Faction Grinding
Receipt Isolation Sales
Breaking Through The Wall
Transmog Me First
Pay What
Outside the New Years Box
Heat Of The Moment
Five Star Sales
The Gauntlet Thrown Down
Post Holiday Toys

Smell the Bacon and Eggs from Azeroth

Posted by J.E. Douglas at 7:00 AM

0 comments View Comments

Good Morning Azeroth (I told you I was working on new intros here).

I enjoy cooking for others.   Whether it's whipping up a light snack for visitors.  Or a good supper among friends.   Where I doubt I will be making an appearance on Masterchef anytime soon,  I can make a mean Quiche (yes,  real warriors eat Quiche).

Cooking in Warcraft tends to be forgotten by the masses til they absolutely need it.  Many raiding guilds require that your cooking profession is at its maximum.  Others players just enjoy making the different items that are available in Warcraft.  Still others just feel it is necessary to maximize all of their professions.

If you have been a faithful reader I've discussed with you my plans for the cooking profession during Mists of Pandaria.  If not,  read Dinner Improbable here.  But now we're going to talk about low and middle level foods to sell.  

The Mists of Pandaria expansion is going to open up a large amounts of players that will be leveling quickly.  The Blizzard developers intentions are to get both new and experienced players into the Mists of Pandaria content as soon as possible.  Lowering level experience requirements are going to do that very quickly.  What it will also do is make lots of normally found cooking food much more scarce.  Zones that normally were heavily played such as Winterspring and Shadowmoon Valley will not be as highly travelled as normal.   So food and materials normally found in these areas will become less and less available.

A good strong strategy while you're leveling a new class is to sell food on the open market.   This applies mostly to food that's used for raising your cooking professions,  but all food can be sold.   Where it may not make you a fortune,  you will be surprised at what items can bring a nice amount of gold into your goblin coffers.

All along I have said that gold goblins plan ahead.   Small eggs sell very well during certain yearly events.  They are also camped out to extinction during those days where gathering small eggs become next to impossible.  But now players are not looking ahead to those times.   So as your leveling or running around,  killing a mass amount of birds and saving the small eggs.  Even buying them from the AH now at a pittance can obtain good profits later during the holidays like Childrens week.

You will even find the basic food you can get right out of the main cities by killing pigs can rack up a nice sized profit.   Players who are leveling their cooking professions generally do not want to take the time to farm their own.    And remember,   goblins are very thankful to the unmotivated.

A good solid strategy is to use what you need,  and sell the rest on the auction house.  Your pocketbook will thank you in the end.

Good Luck and Good Quiche Hunting


Want to get in contact with me? . Email me at Dragonbearjoe @ gmail. dOT com or find me on twitter at "@JMTCMommar" You can find me hanging out on the Shandris Server, chat me up and I will buy you a glass of juice. 

Previous Entries

It's not the size of the equipment 
It's fun to say Arrrrrghh
Zombie Auctioning
The Tripping of Theramore
You want to do WHAT????
KFC Ain't Got Nothing On Me
BMAH Blues
I am No Dunce
Hype Hype Hype
No Shirt No Service
Too Much Stuff
MOP Prep:  PokeWOW Part 1
MOP Prep: PokeWOW Part 2
MOP Prep:   Enchanters Pt 1
MOP Prep:  Enchanters Part Deux
MOP Prep: What to save for the Pandas Pt 1
MOP:  Powerleveling Leatherworking in the Vale
MOP Prep:   Prepping the Farmer
MOP Prep:  Get to the Points
MOP Prep:  Reduction in Inventory
MOP Prep: Stuff to Gold,  Gold to Stuff
MOP Prep: Setting the Lineup
MOP Prep: Setting up the Cartel
MOP Prep:   Zero Balance Investment

Too Much Stuff

Posted by J.E. Douglas at 2:00 PM

0 comments View Comments

After having dug myself out of an avalanche of a guild bank I purchased recently,  I came to the realization that I might have too much stuff saved for MOP (blasphemous words I know).

It's not that difficult to get into the hype of buying things to resell quickly for massive profits.   That will occur.  We've talked about Pets and Leather and cloth and ore to save.   And even for the rest of this week and next week we will talk some more about it.  It can be exciting to figure out what other players both old and new will want to purchase for high prices.

But there does come a time when players will balance between investment and holding.  The biggest challenge is to make sure that you are getting as much bang for your buck and storage area as possible. Many players by now have at least one separate Guild Bank of their own.   Even if you are just using your regular character storage bank each slot becomes a chance for investment.   So planning out exactly what you should buy,  and where to place it becomes more and more important.

So when you continue to buy items for investment,  keep and mental picture of exactly what amount of profit you want to obtain from the item.   If your stocking up on Netherweave for bags,  then how much profit will that be compared to purchasing a blue weapon for resell.   Will a stack of Iron Ore obtain the same profit as a stack of Heavy Leather?

Each slot that you fill for investment purposes become more important in the next two weeks.  Mists of Pandaria and the panda invasion is just beyond the horizon.   Preparation and expectation will start to build to a fever pitch.   So look for investments,  but keep that measure of resistance to buy everything without purpose.

Good Luck and Good Hoarding


Want to get in contact with me? . Email me at Dragonbearjoe @ gmail. dOT com or find me on twitter at "@JMTCMommar" You can find me hanging out on the Shandris Server, chat me up and I will buy you a glass of juice. 

Previous Entries

MOP Prep:  PokeWOW Part 1
MOP Prep: PokeWOW Part 2
Time to close businesses..
Would You Save World of Warcraft?
Tips for the Junk Impaired
Its not being lazy,  it's being unmotivated
Lost Pets for MOP
Leveling Digging, Grass Picking O My
Is it Worth It?
MOP Prep:   Enchanters Pt 1
MOP Prep:  Enchanters Part Deux
MOP Prep: What to save for the Pandas Pt 1
MOP:  Powerleveling Leatherworking in the Vale
MOP Prep:   Prepping the Farmer
MOP Prep:  Get to the Points
MOP Prep:  Reduction in Inventory
MOP Prep: Stuff to Gold,  Gold to Stuff
MOP Prep: Setting the Lineup
MOP Prep: Setting up the Cartel
MOP Prep:   Zero Balance Investment