Every once in a while…

It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while (a great, great while recently), I have an experience that reminds me why I love this pastime.  As this is my first post, ever, I suppose I should be more specific. Gaming. Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming, to be very specific.

I just love it when things come together in a brief moment of gaming bliss, where everything falls into place and turns out far better than one could have hoped. Here I faced a grind so painful, it’s taken me two years to get around to it; and just as I’m diving in, one of those moments presents itself. So inspired was I that I finally got off my laziness and started writing (again).

So here I stood: Giants in Evendim. 239 of them to be precise. How I ended up with only a single Giant killed after completing all the quests in Evendim is beyond me. But, as I slowly get back into the game (Lord of the Rings Online), I find myself compelled to go back and clean up my Deed Log. I slog up to Amon Moth to start the slaughter. Three of four giants down, and hours upon hours ahead of me, when out of the corner of my eye I see I have been joined by a fellow adventurer.

A Guardian. A 65 Guardian. A 65 Guardian who politely asks me,  “Grinding for deeds?”.

I think I may have momentarily blacked out from the sheer relief.

Now, you may be thinking that this is the moment to which I am referring. Any other time, and I would say you are correct. Two 65s grinding through mid-30s mobs (even signature) is a cake walk. The hours it saved me alone are worth praising.

But you’d be wrong (this time). I forgive you, because we’re both new here. Particularly me.

No, the moment came when we hit our first Giant. It was, for lack of a better word, clean. It was fast. It was… professional. There is no greater pleasure than playing alongside someone who knows their class. Not only their class, but your class. And this Guardian knows both (I myself am a Burglar by trade). It was so textbook, that first Giant looked honored to have taken part. I saw it in his eyes as he died.

The Guardian kept aggro while I did my thing; throw up Reveal Weakness to help things along, Disable to take the edge off, and Addle to keep those pesky Giants from knocking us around too hard. A Riddle every so often when we managed to grab more than one. Fellowship Maneuvers came naturally; we never even discussed them. Clash of Arms for quick damage, Planned Attack when power was running low.

What truly made me smile, however, was the Guardian’s natural tendency to face the Giants away from me. Let me take full advantage of positional damage. So few players bother, I had gotten used to jockeying for position on my own, most often chasing down a mob while trying to fire off a skill or two. This Guardian knows how to play. I am ashamed at how little I know about Guardians – that’s how good it was.

The Giants fell. All 239 of them.

So, to JTCoop on the Vilya server – my heartfelt thanks and admiration. You are a king among men. You’ve revived my faith.