Sunday, February 23, 2014

Guide To Booster Pack Gambling For WoW TCG Loot

A Guide To Gambling For World of Warcraft Loot Codes

Reign of Fire Booster Packs

Demand and Loot Code Use As A Blogger or Podcaster


As a World of Warcraft blogger, I learned one thing early on:  Warcraft players love their WoW Trading Card Game Loot!  Many players are willing to buy multiple booster packs and cases of WoW TCG boosters just for a chance to win some loot codes.  More specifically, players are always on the hunt for the super rare and expensive mounts and pets and buying the actual booster packs for a chance at opening a rare is often a more affordable option for many players, since prized treasures like the Spectral Tiger Mount can cost $500 or more.

As a Warcraft blogger, I also learned another key bit of wisdom:  Buying WoW TCG loot cards for giveaways is an incredible efficient way to expand and advertise your blog!  I've often purchased handfuls of WoW TCG pet loot cards to use as contest awards and giveaways.  Whether you are holding a blog birthday celebration, looking for new followers on twitter, need ideas for podcast giveaways, or are building your email newsletter subscriptions, WoW TCG pet codes and WoW TCG vanity codes are super efficient advertising tools to incorporate into your advertising budget.

Many times you can find pet codes for under $5-$10 each on Amazon and I've bought some pet codes for as little as $1.99-$3.99 each.  That $5 investment into a giveaway is super cheap for advertising that actually works to bring you new and returning traffic as well as new subscribers.  And for the big celebrations, giving away WoW TCG Mount cards will really bring the traffic and subscriptions home, if you wish to invest a bit more for those more expensive mount codes.

So if you are a World of Warcraft blogger or podcaster, then I highly recommend grabbing some WoW TCG loot cards to use as giveaways and advertising tools.  It's a great low cost marketing investment idea that actually works.

********************

The 2 Main Types Of WoW TCG Booster Pack Buyers


Some players prefer to gamble for a chance at winning, as opposed to buying the loot cards specifically.  This can be a lot of fun or a headache if you gamble and don't get what you want.  Try to remember that this is a form of gambling, not all booster packs are going to contain loot cards, and it's never cool to leave a horrible review on a booster pack purchase just because you didn't get the loot card you wanted out of your booster packs!  I see it all too often!

WoW TCG Booster Pack Gambling


This guide should help to serve two types of buyers:  The Gambler & The Add-On Shopper.

The Gambler is the Warcraft player that loves to buy the WoW TCG Booster packs and cases of boosters in hopes of pulling an expensive loot card to either use for their own Warcraft characters in game or to have a real life investment item that they seek to flip for a real life profit.  Yes, there are players who buy cases in hopes of finding a rare mount to sell for cash.  When the booster pack cases are on sale and deeply discounted, this tactic has the potential to be very rewarding.  

The Add-On Shopper is the Warcraft player who is already shopping on Amazon and buying something for themselves that isn't that expensive.  Amazon has a policy that you get free shipping on many items if your pre-tax shopping total of Amazon purchased items is $35 or greater (current policy and subject to change).  The Add-On Shopper knows about the free shipping requirement of $35, so when his shopping cart totals to just $25, he adds a few unopened WoW TCG booster packs to his order to bump the total to just over $35 to get the free shipping option.  This option is a wise one because instead of throwing away money on shipping alone, you spend a tad bit more and get booster packs and can gamble for a chance to get one of those expensive mounts or pets!  Remember to think like the Add-On Shopper when your next Amazon purchase totals just under the free shipping threshold of $35.  

War of the Ancients Booster Packs

Which WoW TCG Booster Packs Contain What Rare Loots?


For those players that are interested in buying their own WoW TCG booster packs, it helps to have a breakdown of what exact loot cards can be found in which booster packs, since there are a ton of already released expansions for the Warcraft trading card game and not all of them contain WoW loot codes.  

Rarity is also important to keep in mind.  The rarest of the loot cards will almost always be the mounts within that expansion.  The vanity items and pets will usually be either common or uncommon distribution, but the mounts will almost always be the rarest and hardest to find.  While it is possible to buy just a single booster pack and get a rare mount, it is also very unlikely.  Buying a case of TCG booster packs increases your odds of getting a rare loot card, but still is not a guarantee.  Although buying a sealed booster box is a guarantee that you will receive some loot cards, it doesn't guarantee that you will get a mount card.

Make sure to check the prices between booster packs and cases because some of these sets you can buy a full booster box for under $25!

Breakdown of WoW TCG Booster Pack Expansions & Potential Loot Cards

  • Booster Pack Expansion Name: Single Packs Link & Booster Packs Link 
    • C- Common
    • U- Uncommon
    • R- Rare







  • War of the Elements Expansion:  Booster Packs (Sold Out) & Case of Boosters
    • C- Landro's Lichling
    • U- War Party Hitching Post
    • R- Savage Raptor


  • Icecrown Expansion:  Booster Packs (Sold Out) & Case of Boosters
    • C- Paint Bomb
    • U- Ethereal Portal
    • R- Wooly White Rhino







  • Servants of the Betrayer Expansion:  Booster Packs & Case of Boosters
    • C- Papa Hummel's Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuit
    • U- Goblin Weather Machine - Prototype 01-B
    • R- X-51 Nether-Rocket X-TREME


  • Fires of Outland Expansion:  Booster Packs & Case of Boosters (Sold Out) [See Archives & Reign of Fire Expansions]
    • C- Goblin Gumbo Kettle
    • U- Fishing Chair
    • R- Reins of the Swift Spectral Tiger



  • Archives Expansion:  Booster Packs & Case of Boosters
    • C- Sandbox Tiger
    • C- Papa Hummel's Old-Fashioned Pet Biscuit
    • C- Tabard of Flame
    • C- Paper Flying Machine Kit
    • U- Banana Charm - Bananas Monkey Pet
    • U- Rocket Chicken
    • U- Fishing Chair
    • U- D.I.S.C.O. Ball
    • R- Spectral Tiger
    • R- X-51 Nether Rocket
    • R- Riding Turtle
    • R- Big Battle Bear

  • Reign of Fire Expansion:  Booster Packs & Case of Boosters
    • Contains ALL previously released loot cards, with increases chances to get loot cards in packs, and a chance at a God Pack, which is an entire pack full of all loot codes!  This was an amazing expansion!

Hoping To Get A Spectral Tiger Mount Code?


The most common gambled for loot card is the Spectral Tiger and the original packs that they appeared in are both rare and expensive, but you have better options.  If your main goal is to get a Spectral Tiger Mount card and you don't want to buy a Spectral Tiger outright, you actually have 4 options.

The Spectral Tiger Mount Can Be Found In These Options:
  1. Fires of Outland Booster Packs - Original appearance, but rare, hard to find, & expensive.
  2. Wrathgate Expansion Booster Packs - The Spectral Tiger has a chance to appear in Landro's Gift Box.
  3. Archives Expansion Booster Packs - The Archives Expansion was an all foil released set of the most popular WoW TCG loot cards from the previous expansion sets.  A reprint set with another chance to get a Spectral Tiger.
  4. Reign of Fire Expansion Booster Packs - The final expansion ever to be released for the WoW TCG, which includes all previously released loot cards, but with better odds of winning.  This one is a hugely popular set because you have a chance to get any of the loot cards ever made.
  5. Check eBay for WoW TCG Loot Codes

If you've had good luck promoting your site with loot card giveaways or have had some great luck opening booster packs for loot codes, then be sure to share your experiences in the comments!

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BOOSTER PACKS!
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Saturday, February 22, 2014

Path of Exile: New Witch Character & Game Basics Video

Path of Exile:  Starting Fresh As A New Witch & Basic Game Discussion


Watch live video from Cold0911 on TwitchTV

Path of Exile is a game that we discuss a bit on the upcoming episode of The Eviscerated Gaming Podcast (Will be episode #83).  It's basically a Diablo-like clone, but is more what you would have expected as a continuation of Diablo 2, unlike that garbage that is the official Diablo 3 game.

One of the cool things about Path of Exile is the built in streaming capability, so this last day off from work I gave it a whirl.  I did some live streaming of Nonmail, Nev, Farli, & I running around in a 4 man group of fresh characters.  That was a lot of fun, but later that night I decided to roll a new alt and try out the Witch class.  I recorded the session and have uploaded it here for anyone to check out that may be interested in the game.

I completely missed the automatically placed basic weapon that is placed at the starting spot on the beach next to the corpse / zombie, so I ended up killing the first boss completely naked and unarmed, with only my fists to defend me.  I do discuss some of the basics of game play, the awesomely massive passive skill tree, and some of the games mechanics at the start of the video.  So check out the video and see if Path of Exile is a game that you too may be interested in playing.  I've been enjoying the game and a new change of scenery.

You can try to catch me streaming live or watch playbacks of older streams on my channel: http://www.twitch.tv/cold0911 - I'm going to try to get set up to stream some of my other games like Wildstar, Hearthstone, & more.

You can Download Path of Exile for Free or Purchase PoE Cash Shop Currency through Amazon.
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Thursday, January 23, 2014

My Top 3 Hearthstone Decks - Hunter / Shaman / Paladin

My Top 3 Hearthstone Decks - Post Open Beta
Hunter / Shaman / Paladin


Cold's Hunter Control DeckHearthstone has recently gone into the official open beta so there are many new players joining the fray.  I've been playing these 3 decks for a while now and the recent nerfs to other classes, as well as the changes to some of the Hunter's cards, have made these 3 my top performing decks by far.  I decided to share them with you so you can see what I've been playing and hopefully will help some of you newer players with deck ideas.  Feel free to copy these decks, make changes, and adjust them to your own play style preferences.

Cold Cocked - Hunter Mid Range Control / Trap Deck

Remember how much you hate playing against a Hearthstone Mage Deck because all they need to do is 20 damage to you, then kill you with a Pyroblast?  Yeah.  We all do.  Well, this Cold Cocked Hearthstone Hunter Deck works very similar to the Mage Decks.  This Hunter deck uses removal, traps, and creatures to control the board, while plucking away with the 2 damage to opponent Hunter ability.  The goal is to control the game and keep plucking away at their life total until you can get them down to 22 life, then it's time for the big ass stompin' dinosaur King Krush to come in and seal the deal.

This deck combines elements of control along with efficient creatures and many possible combo set ups to catch your opponent off guard.  With the right opening hand, this deck turns into a hunter rush deck with removal for support or can play the control stall game and bust out some heavy damage in the mid to late game.

The single Houndmaster works ok in the deck, but is really just a place holder for Leeroy Jenkins, which I do not own yet.  This deck is a lot of fun to play!

Some possible fun combos that can appear while playing include:

  • Snake Trap w Knife Juggler and / or Starving Buzzard.
  • Starving Buzzard w Unleash the Hounds
  • Unleash the Hounds w Knife Juggler
  • Beast w Double Kill Command for 10 damage
  • Eaglehorn Bow with 5-6 durability from Trap triggers
  • Unleash the Hounds plus Scavenging Buzzard

Hearthstone Rush Paladin DeckPaladin Rush Deck

This Hearthstone Paladin Deck is designed as a speed rush deck.  The goal is to get an early tempo advantage with cheap cost, efficient pesky creatures and never ease up off of the accelerator.  Speed beatdown is all about mantaining tempo, trading smart, and keeping pressure on the opponent so that he can't get a good defense set up, or must make poor trades to stay alive.  

This deck can dominate the early game, push into the mid game for the kill.  If you get to late game without winning, you can get into trouble as the late game is where speed rush decks stall out.  Avenging Wrath and Lay on Hands are there to either help finish the game out or help to give you a bit more staying power in the later half of the game.  Aldor Peacekeeper and the Equality / Consecration or Wild Pyromancer combos are a couple of answers to other player's big beefy minions and legendaries, should they appear.  

Tirion, Ragnaros, and / or Leeroy Jenkins would all make great additions to this deck if I owned any of them!

Remeber, when playing this deck:

Push, Push, Push!
Hearthstone Shaman Anti-Rush Control Deck








Shaman Control Mid to Late Game Wins

This deck is a ton of fun to play and can be a nightmare to your opponent as there are a ton of removal spells, AoE board clearing, and some late game nasty heavy hitters.  The goal with this deck is to control the board and let your opponent whittle his hand down to nothing, then you take the game over with your own minions and or remaining direct damage to finish out the game.

This deck was made after all of the Warlock Murlock Rush Decks became so popular and it pretty much destroys all types of rush decks.  So if you are tired of losing quickly to swarm decks, then this is the deck to try out!  Big Taunts, AoE removal, and weapons that can kill 3 minions alone spell disaster for weenie rush decks and it is so much fun to have a full hand of cards against a petered-out rush deck that's stuck top-decking without a hope or prayer.

A late game Al'Akir with Rockbiter Weapon and Flametongue Totem gets really nasty really fast, especially if the opponents has little to no cards left after your AoE and efficient removal whittles them to nothing.

Earth Elemental is just plain Beatdown and can end the game early if cast on turn 5 and your opponent has no answer.  It's not uncommon to drop an Earth Elemental on both turns 5 and 7 and you can almost hear your opponents whincing when they hit the board!

Wild Pyromancer & Hex Combo will clear any (unstealthed) minion or legendary thrown at you.  Fire Elemental is just plain Beatdown as well.  Give this deck a try and I'm sure you will have as much fun playing it as I do.



I hope you guys try these decks out and have fun with em.  For other Hearthstone deck ideas and strategies, be sure to check out these previous Hearthstone articles here at Cold's Gold Factory.


  1. Basic Cards Only Starter Mage Deck
  2. Card Advantage Priest Deck
  3. Improper Weapon Use In Hearthstone
  4. Grinding For Gold & Hearthstone Starter Tips
  5. Eviscerated Gaming Podcast - Hearthstone Arena Drafting Episode


If you enjoyed this post or any of the others, please share them on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, etc.

Thanks in advance & Thanks for reading!


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Monday, January 6, 2014

Top 10 Craziest Amazon Affiliate Sales From 2013 - Gifts For Gamers Year End Special

My Top 10 Craziest Amazon Affiliate Sales From 2013

Today I present my annual Gifts for Gamers post, that highlights the Top 10 craziest items that I sold the previous year through my Gifts For Gamers articles' amazon links.  So let's take a look at some of the oddities that I've sold and see if anything strikes you as odd as well.

You can also check out My Top Crazy Amazon Sales from the 2012 year, if you haven't already seen that list.

Remember: As an Amazon Affiliate I only can see what gets purchased and I have no way to know who bought what (unless the buyer mentions it to me of course).

Turd Tossing Game
Doody Head Game

Top 10 Craziest Amazon Sales Last Year


  1. Bigfoot Observer's Field Manual - The Bigfoot Observer's Field Manual is labeled as "A practical and easy-to-follow step-by-step guide to your very own face-to-face encounter with a legend."  Apparently Sasquatch has a bunch of Sasquatch products, guides, hunting kits, and is almost as loved as the current zombie gifts craze! Who knew?  And I thought he just did beef stick commercials!
  2. Cat Washroom & Nightstand - A Cat washroom / nightstand for hiding your cat's litter box.  Ok, I can see using this in the bathroom, but as a nightstand in the bedroom?  Who would place a litter box next to their bed, regardless of how nice it looks?  I know who bought this and he blames this purchase on his wife.  Lol.  Sure ;)
  3. Zombie Feet Costume Sandals - When regular sandals just won't do, look for your pair of zombie feet!  I hope someone bought these from Amazon for a costume and not just to sit around the house looking at these nasty grotesque zombie feet.
  4. Osprey Men's Aether 60 Backpack - When a regular backpack isn't going to cut it, why not drop a few hundred dollars on a nicer one?  Holy hell!  You spent how much on a backpack!?!
  5. UTG Sportsman Black Tactical Scenario Vest - At first glance you'd think this was bought by a member of the SWAT team forces, but when looking at the other items purchased together with this tactical vest, you can see that someone plans on being a Zombie Hunter!  Good luck with that.
  6. Set of 5 Princess Diana Wooden Nesting Dolls - When I originally saw this purchase come through, all I thought to myself was, "WTF?!?" and today all I can say about these things is, "WTF!?!" Hah!  To each his own, I guess.
  7. Daron Doody Head Game - Yes, you read that write.  Doody Head!  Have a peek at this silly game.  It's even nuttier than you'd think.  Someone wears a skullcap with velcro and you throw fake turd piles at their head.  Someone is having a craptastic time in a frat house someone, I just know it.
  8. Portal 2 Sentry Turret - This Officially Licensed Portal 2 Sentry Turret is a motion activated desk defender that springs to action with 11 speaking functions.  Use it to guard your desk at work and keep intruders away?  Pretty neat little gadget and apparently there are a ton of Portal 2 Turrets to choose from.
  9. Women's Fence Net Bleeding Thigh Highs - Who needs to be sexy when you can choose fishnets that look like they are straight out of a Hellraiser film?
  10. Zojirushi Mr. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar - This has to be the coolest high tech lunch box option ever made.  Never even knew stuff like this existed, but it looks pretty awesome.


I hope you've enjoyed this special annual edition of Gifts For Gamers.  Happy New Year!


Recommended Guides: Secret Gold Guide | Journal of Marcus Ty | Hearthstone Arena Drafting
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Sunday, December 15, 2013

Gag Gifts For The Really Naughty


GIFTS FOR GAMERS - A column at Cold's Gold Factory that focuses on bringing you some of the coolest gifts for gamers of all types. Remember to check back here for ideas for Gamer Birthday Gifts, Stocking Stuffers for Gamers, and Gamer Christmas Ideas.

50 Ways To Eat Cock Cookbook
50 Ways To Eat Cock!

Penis Themed Gag Gifts 

Maybe you are searching for the perfect gag gift for a friend or know someone who has been extra naughty this year.  Maybe you are shopping for the funniest white elephant gift exchange item you can find or you are looking for just the right Christmas gift for that person with the perverted sense of humor.  You could even be planning the perfect Bachelorette party, where cock shaped treats are definitely not a limp choice!  These penis themed gag gifts will make for some laughs and smiles when your victim finds out just what is in store for him or her.

Forget coal for that naughty guy you know.  Fill his stocking full of cock soup, spotted dick pudding, and rainbow cock pops and maybe he will take the hint to be a little nicer next year!  So here's a collection of some of the wittiest and funniest penis themed gag gifts that I could put together for your entertainment and to help you get ideas for your next victim.

Penis Themed Gag Gifts, Stocking Stuffers, & Novelty Items



I hope you've enjoyed this collection of penis themed gag gifts.  These penis gags are perfect for stocking stuffers, Bachelorette party favors, jokes, and gag gifts.  I bet you can't wait to get your hands on a few of these naughty gag gifts!


Shop Bachelorette Party gag gifts and supplies at Spencer Gifts - Shop Now!
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Saturday, November 23, 2013

Hearthstone Beta Key Puzzle - First To Solve Wins

Hearthstone Beta Key Contest
First Person To Solve And Claim The Key Is The Winner!

Hey gang!  I've received yet another official Hearthstone Beta Key for Blizzard's closed beta.  Just like the first extra one I got, I'm giving this one away to the first person to solve my trivia contest.  The key is currently unclaimed and ready to be claimed by the first person to solve this puzzle.

All of the answer have been discussed within one of our episodes of The Eviscerated Gaming Podcast, while some of the answers can be found within the show notes for the individual episodes.  If you are regular listener of our podcast, then these questions will be much easier for you.  Good Luck!

Why have a puzzle instead of just giving the Hearthstone beta key away?
  • I would prefer the HS beta key to go to a follower or fan of the site or podcast, as opposed to some random person who is only here for a free key.
  • The puzzle puts the key code out in the open and removes the option of selling the key. First one to solve the puzzle and add the code to their Battlenet account gets the key. If you solve it, but don't add the code, the code will be added by someone else who solves the puzzle before you can sell it off.
  • There is no way to create and spam fake emails or fake accounts just to get extra entries into a giveaway contest.
  • A puzzle will be a lot more fun and feel more rewarding that a random drawing.  I got a ton of praise for my last contest puzzle giveaway, so I'm back with another.


Hearthstone Closed Beta Key Code:

The Hearthstone Beta Key Code is 25 digits long.  There are 25 multiple choice questions all pertaining to The Eviscerated Gaming Podcast.  Each question is multiple choice.  Just plug the number associated with the correct answer into that digit of the Hearthstone Beta Key code.

Example:

  1.  Roses Are Red, Violets Are _____.
    • 1 Green
    • 2 Blue
    • 5 Orange
    • 8 Purple
The correct answer is Blue, so you would plug the number 2 as the first digit in the key code.  Then you would solve for the rest of the digits as you answer the other questions.


**********

Solve for each of the 25 digits using the following questions:


  1. Where Does Nonmail Work?
    • 0- USPS
    • 1- UPS
    • 2- Fed Ex
    • 3- Western Union
  2. What Car Dealership Does Cold Work For?
    • 2- Dodge
    • 3- Ford
    • 4- Mitsubishi
    • 5- Toyota
  3. Rez's Company Deals With Keeping What Safe?
    • 0- Boats
    • 1- Cars
    • 2- Trains
    • 3- Planes
    • 4- Helicopters
  4. Order the Show Hosts From Oldest To Youngest:
    • 1- Chuck, Scott, Richard
    • 2- Scott, Richard, Chuck
    • 3- Richard, Scott, Chuck
    • 4- Chuck, Richard, Scott
    • 5- Richard, Chuck, Scott
    • 6- Scott, Chuck, Richard
  5. Which WoW Community Member Has NOT Been A Guest on EGP?
    • 1- Profitz
    • 2- Zerohour
    • 3- Stede
    • 4- Nev
    • 5- Shalthis
  6. Name The 2 End Bosses In The Player Created Foundry Quest That Gave Us All A Laugh In Neverwinter.
    • 1- Flush & Flaid
    • 2- Pedros & Pasteur
    • 3- Narkco & Nelvine
    • 4- Bitter & Salty
    • 5- Twixx & Twisted
  7. Which Is One of Rez's Pet Names For Cold?
    • 0- Mrs Buttersworth
    • 1- Rosa Parks
    • 2- John Holmes
    • 3- Maple Crown
    • 4- Hearthstoner
  8. What Was the Original 3rd Show Host's Yard Infested With?
    • 3- Mice
    • 4- Moles
    • 5- Ticks
    • 6- Fleas
    • 7- Scabies
  9. Which Voice Has NOT Appeared On An Episode of EGP?
    • 6- Steven Hawking
    • 7- The Ungnome Comic
    • 8- The Nut Ninja
    • 9- Bart Simpson
  10. What Is DJ Soulshaker's Favorite Music Genre?
    • 0- Breaks
    • 1- Trance
    • 2- House
    • 3- Drum & Bass
    • 4- Dubstep
  11. Which Producer Has NOT Been Fully Featured On An Episode Of Electronic Education On EGP?
    • 0- Deadmau5
    • 1- Kaskade
    • 2- Pretty Lights
    • 3- Kill Paris
    • 4- Cazzette
  12. Which Drow Elf Is Cold's Siamese Cat Named After?
    • 5- Drizzt Do'Urden
    • 6- Berg'inyon Baenre
    • 7- Dantrag Baenre
    • 8- Jarlaxle Baenre
    • 9- Zaknafein Do'Urden
  13. Who Won the First Game Show On EGP?
    • 7- Cold
    • 8- Nonmail
    • 9- Nev
    • 0- Rez
  14. Which Item Has NOT Had a Prominent Mention & Effect On An Episode Of EGP?
    • 1- Inhaler / Breathing Treatments
    • 2- Fishing Lures / Tackle Box
    • 3- Dentures / Tooth Extractions
    • 4- Maple Crown Royal
  15. Which Food Has NOT Been Mentioned In A Show Title For EGP?
    • 1- Live Baby Mice
    • 2- French Dip
    • 3- Rice
    • 4- Soup
    • 5- Chicken
    • 6- Bacon
    • 7- Turkey
    • 8- Chocolate Covered Ribs
  16. Which Drug Has NOT Influenced a Show Title for EGP?
    • 0- Cocaine
    • 1- LSD
    • 2- Heroin
    • 3- Bath Salts
    • 4- Crack
  17. Which Popular Warcraft Website Cancelled an Entire Weekly Column Because Of EGP?
    • 6- Wowhead
    • 7- WoW Insider
    • 8- The Undermine Journal
    • 9- Power Word: Gold
  18. What Has Rez Paid His Son To Do For Him In Warcraft?
    • 0- Pet Battle
    • 1- Level Fishing
    • 2- Mill Herbs
    • 3- Prospect Ore
    • 4- All the Above
  19. The Purr-fect Purple Men's Kitten Tee Has 4 Butterflies, But How Many Kittens?
    • 1- Eight
    • 2- Four
    • 3- Seven
    • 4- Ten
  20. Which Host Has Trouble With The Difference Between Asian vs Oriental?
    • 5- Cold
    • 6- Nonmail
    • 7- Nick
    • 8- Rez
  21. What In Game Item Has Caused Cold To Go Apeshit Crazy On At Least One Episode?
    • 6- Battle Pets
    • 7- Infernal Keys
    • 8- Headless Horseman Mount
    • 9- The Coin
  22. Rez's Twitter Avatar Often Depicts What Character?
    • 6- The Rock
    • 7- The Riddler
    • 8- The Penguin
    • 9- The Joker
  23. Who Is The New Host Of Cold's Gold Blogging Carnivals?
    • 5- Xsinthis
    • 6- Selltactular
    • 7- Nev
    • 8- Profitz
  24. Which Show Host Would Earn The Perfect Attendance Award, Having Never Missed An Episode?
    • 1- Rez
    • 2- Cold
    • 3- Nonmail
    • 4- Nick
  25. In One Of The Crazy News Stories, This Guy Was Watching Livestreams Of Young Girls Decorating The Christmas Tree In Their Underwear.  What Was His Alias?
    • 6- Grandpa Joe
    • 7- Jake the Snake
    • 8- Sexual Chocolate
    • 9- Uncle G
    • 0- Nonmail

So there you have it!  Find the answers for each of the 25 questions and plug them into the Hearthstone Beta Key Code and claim your key before someone else does!  Each question corresponds to the equivalent digit within the code, so question 10's answer gives you the 10th digit.  Question 20 gives you the 20th digit, etc.


GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY & THANKS FOR LISTENING TO THE EVISCERATED GAMING PODCAST!


Hints about the puzzle solutions may be released from any of these accounts:
Other Giveaways:

  1. http://www.giftsforgamersandgeeks.com/2013/11/Hearthstone-Beta-Key-Giveaway.html
  2. Episode #71 of Eviscerated Gaming Podcast announced a giveaway - Follow the show's twitter account @Eviscerated_GP - the drawing is this Sunday.



Recommended Guides: Secret Gold Guide | Journal of Marcus Ty | Neverwinter Secrets
WoW Gold Tips by at 5 comments:

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Hearthstone Tips: Mistakes - Improper Weapon Use

Hearthstone Tips - Top Common Mistakes

Improper Use Of Weapons

This is another post in the Hearthstone Tips series on Common Mistakes I See From Hearthstone Players.  Be sure to check out the first article, where I cover Top 1st Turn Player Mistakes in Hearthstone.  

Improper Use Of Weapons

Weapons play an important role for some of the classes in Hearthstone.  Both the Rogue and Druid have weapon based hero powers and the Paladin, Warrior, Rogue, and Shaman all have weapon cards that can added to their Hearthstone Class Decks.

All too often I see a common mistake made with weapons as players waste them on attacks against the opponent instead of using the weapons properly.  I've even seen players use their coin on their first turn just so they could play a weapon a turn early, yet all they do is attack their opponent (or take it "to the face" as I call it) and waste their weapon.

In order to learn and understand how to properly use your weapon, you should remember these 3 key points:

  1. Weapons are mainly for killing minions.
  2. Don't waste your weapon on an opponent unless you are killing them soon.
  3. Hold your weapon until the turn you will use it.

Weapons Are For Killing Minions

Sure, a weapon in Hearthstone can be used on either a minion or on a player, but they are far better used as minion killers, until you get the opponent close to death.  Weapons should mainly be used as another form of creature removal.  The downside when attacking a minion with a weapon is that you will take the minion's attack power as damage when you hit the minion.  Maybe this is why some newer players don't use the weapons properly on minions and just use them against the opponent.  Even though you take the minion's attack value as damage, taking that damage one time while killing the minion is much better than allowing the minion to survive, thus allowing it to continue to be a threat on the board turn after turn.  So kill the minion, take the damage once, and remove that threat from the game.  Don't ignore the minion, waste the weapon attack on an opponent, and then let that same minion attack you multiple times!  Kill the minions with your weapons.

When To Use A Weapon On An Opponent

Weapons in Hearthstone should primarily be used to remove threats from the game, but they also can be used to damage the opponent.  You shouldn't be attacking the opponent with your weapon unless you are going to be killing them on that turn or you have enough damage to kill them the following turn.  Wasting a weapon on an opponent early is a poor move because you are better off removing a threat and often times the early weapon damage you did will be healed up before the game ends anyways.  There are certain special circumstances that are also acceptable for attack an opponent earlier than the killing blow, like attacking with the Truesilver Champion to get the +2 Life gain, just to survive another turn, but you should aim to only hit opponents with weapons when they are within reach of you killing them soon.


Hold Your Weapon Until You Are Going To Use It

There are two main reasons to not actually play your weapon until you are going to swing it.  Those two reasons are: Protection and Suprise.  Playing your weapon too early leaves you more open to having your weapon destroyed by an opponent's Acidic Swamp Ooze (Battlecry: destroy opponent's weapon) and you definitely want to get at least 1 attack out of a weapon you've played or it was a wasted play.

Don't underestimate the value of surprise either.  Playing your weapon too early gives the opponent a chance to hold in their hand the creatures that would die to the weapon.  Then as soon as your weapon is out of durability, those minions will be summoned.  Oh, you wasted the weapon attacks against the opponent and he played his threats after the weapon went poof?  He played it smart; you didn't.  No one is going to cast their 1/3 Northshire Cleric while you have that 3 attack weapon out.  Let them play it first, then cast your weapon and kill it before the opponent can protect it or buff it's health up.


In Closing

Hopefully, you have a better understanding of how to properly use your weapons.  Just remember that weapons in Hearthstone are mainly used for killing minions, since this removes threats that can hamper you over the course of multiple turns.  Don't attack the opponent's face with weapons until you are close to delivering the killing blow.  And make sure to hold the weapons until they will be used, so that you maintain the elements of surprise and protect your weapons from the Oozes.

Be sure to check back here at Cold's Gold Factory for more incoming Hearthstone decklists, Hearthstone play tips, and Hearthstone strategy posts.

**********

Check out the new post: How To Get More XP per Hearthstone game you play

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Sunday, November 3, 2013

Hearthstone Tips: Top Mistakes I See Made Way Too Often

Playing Hearthstone Tips Series:
Top Mistakes I See Made Way Too Often

How To Play Hearthstone Tips
Thanks John!

Preventing Mistakes Is Crucial To Winning In Hearthstone

Hearthstone is a very competitive online collectible card game.  How you understand and play the game will have a direct result on the outcomes of your matches with your Hearthstone opponents.  A simple mistake can be the difference between you earning a win or a loss, completing your daily, earning better awards in your Arena run, or being more efficient at grinding for gold in Hearthstone.  All too often I see a common set of mistakes being made way too often.  I'm not just talking about mistakes made by brand new players either.  I've been paired up against a lot of the same players over and over and I can attest that not everyone learns from experience either because I continue to see the same poor mistakes made by some of the more "experienced" players as well.

I've designed this post as the first in a series of Tips For Playing Hearthstone Properly!  These posts will be designed to Help You Learn & Think More Competitively.  Being a good Hearthstone player takes practice, as not everyone will be a 3-Star Master in Constructed or a Arena Grandmaster 9 wins player overnight.  The best way to improve your game play is to practice.  By playing more matches against real opponents, you will exposed to more play styles, strategies, and combos.  During your matches you should be focused on the match so that you can learn something, instead of being absent minded and semi-AFK multi-tasking while you play Hearthstone.  And remember what an old Magic the Gathering mentor told me, when I was constantly beating all of my hometown friends:

"You won't improve your own game, unless you are playing against players that are better than you."
So get into the Arena Mode and practice, get into Play Mode and practice, and go into Ranked Play Mode for even more practice.  If you are paying attention and focusing on the matches, you will learn. Just make sure you are present and focusing on every move in the match.  Sure, playing fun / themed decks against your friends may be a lot of fun, but you need to be playing competitive matches against competitive players in order to improve and learn more about the game and improve your Hearthstone playing skills.

Common Mistakes Made In Hearthstone:

I will go over some of the more common mistakes that I see made constantly in hopes of helping you to not only correct these mistakes, but also to help you start to think differently about how you are playing Hearthstone.  I understand that these mistakes may not be so obvious to brand new Hearthstone players, especially ones that have never previously played any other collectible card games.  Just remember that even the seasoned professionals, were all beginners at some point.  You can get there too with some of my help.  These tips for correcting your mistakes will be relevant for both Constructed Play Mode and Arena Mode Hearthstone decks.

So let's look at some of the the Top Mistakes I See Hearthstone Players Make:

  • Poor 1st Turn Play Choices
  • Not Knowing When To Coin
  • Adding Poor Card Choices To Their Deck
  • Casting Minions With Battlecry Effects & No Targets
  • Improper Use Of Weapons
  • Not Knowing When To Attack Minions Vs Opponent
  • Buffing At the End of Your Turn
  • Casting Direct Damage Spells Too Early

Let's debunk a few new player myths too, before we discuss the above mistakes:

  • You Do Not Have To Play Something Every Turn
  • You Do Not Have To Spend All Or Most Of Your Mana Crystals Every Turn
Both of these common misunderstandings lead to making poor choices or force new players to waste good cards early or play them sooner than is ideal.  If you continue to think and play as if you must spend as much mana possible every turn, you will find it hard to be a good competitive player and your win / loss ratio will reflect it.  Sometimes the best move in a turn is to simply do nothing at all or just use your Hero Power for the turn and pass.  You simply must stop thinking that you have to play a card every turn.  Right now.  STOP IT!

Ok.  Now you can progress onward to being a better Hearthstone player.


In this post, I will focus on Poor First Turn Hearthstone Play Choices and will continue covering the other common Hearthstone mistakes in later posts here at Cold's Gold Factory.  This will allow me to give more examples and better strategy discussion to help you understand how to play Hearthstone more competitvely.  So be sure to check back for more articles in this series.

Poor First Turn Choices

What you do on turn one will hardly ever win you the game, but it sure can play a strong role in you losing the game.  On turn one, I commonly see horrible card play choices that often tell me that I'm going to win this game because this player doesn't understand how to play Hearthstone.

Common Poor First Turn Plays:

  1. Cast Elven Archer / Shoot Me For 1 Damage. - No, No, No!  Just because the Elven Archer only costs 1 mana, doesn't mean you should waste it by playing it on turn 1.  You should only ever use the Archer's battlecry effect on your opponent, if you have enough damage to kill them off within a turn or two.  The 1 damage is MUCH better used to kill off an opponent's minion.  You can kill a 1 health minion or use the 1 damage as an extra point of damage to kill a minion that already took damage.  The Elven Archer can be used in combination with another creature attacking or used in tandem with a spell that needs just 1 more extra point to kill a minion.  Never waste your Elven Archer on turn one on your opponent.  I see these wasted all too often on turn 1, as I drop a 2/1 or 3/1 creature on turn 1 or 2 and proceed to hit the opponent multiple times with a minion they could have easily killed had they played smarter.  So instead of wasting it on an opponent, use that 1 point of damage to remove a threat from the board.
  2. Mage Cast Arcane Missiles (with no minions out).  I Take 3 Damage - Wasted!  Arcane Missiles is best used as a minion removal spell.  Again, removing threats from the board will save you taking damage over multiple turns and is much more beneficial than a few cheap potshots against the opponent.  Arcane Missiles can kill multiple creatures, especially if the opponent has a bunch of cheap 1 health minions out.  Too often I see Arcane Missiles wasted on turn 1, then next turn I drop a Murloc Tidehunter, which is a 2/1 Murloc that also summons a 1/1 Murloc along with it.  Shoulda saved that Arcane Missiles to kill off both Murlocs and do damage to me.  Another reason not to waste Arcane Missiles early on is because it can also be buffed by minions that add to your Spell Damage.  Each extra point of Spell Damage adds another 1 damage Arcane Missile.  Cast it too early and you get no bonus from Spell Damage.  I've even had a guy cast Arcane Missiles, then Coin, then a 2nd arcane Missiles all on Turn 1.  So you Coined to waste both Missiles on me for 6 damage and you only have 2 cards left?  Lol. Let me drop all these minions now.  This same issue can also be seen wasted with first turn cast Arcane Shot, Holy Smite, Rockbiter Weapon, Claw, and other damage spells that are better used to eliminate minions as threats instead of hitting the opponent too early in the match.
  3. Mage Cast Mirror Image - This always brings a laugh out of me.  Mirror Image is a pretty crappy spell that shouldn't even be in your deck the majority of the time.  At worst it is a stall tactic and buys you a turn or two.  At best it is used later on to protect some key minions from attacks for a turn or two, but I never see it played as minion protection.  Instead of playing a card to stall your opponent, you are better off adding a removal spell to your deck to deal with what you are having to stall against in the first place.  Playing Mirror Image on turn 1 is a complete waste.  You don't have any creatures out to protect, the Mirror Images die easy to almost all AoE spells, and me ramming them with minions to kill them is only slowly your demise, while you hide behind your shoddy Mirror Images.  The Mirror Images also give a false sense of protection because you have 2 taunters out, but they die so easily, I often destroy them both with AoE along with whatever was cast later and they don't even stop a creature at all.
  4. First Turn Coin / Use Hero Power - There is no Hero power worth wasting your Coin on.  Don't do it.  Save your coin for turns that you can get something out early that is worth getting out early.  Or save the Coin for pulling off a 2 drop combo that you were 1 Mana short of casting.  No Hero power is going to win you the game by wasting a coin just so you can Hero Power on turn 1.
  5. Cast Minion With Battlecry Effect With No Valid Targets - You just wasted your minions Battlecry effect!  You want to get the best use of minions with battlecry effects.  If it has a helpful effect, don't cast it until you can positively effect another minion of yours.  If it has a negative effect, don't cast it until you can negatively effect an enemy minion.  The battlecry effects are built into the casting costs of the minions, so casting a minion and wasting it's battlecry effect is almost always a bad play choice.  Some examples of minions that you will see wasted on turn one include:
      1. Abusive Sergeant - He's much better used giving a temporary buff to a weak minion that you can use to suicide-ram a much bigger minion.
      2. Hungry Crab - Wait at least a few turns to see if some Murlocs get played by the opponent.
      3. Bloodsail Corsair - It's ok to cast against weaponless decks, but hold it versus Class Decks that commonly use weapons.
      4. Elven Archer - This is the most common 1st turn mistake.
      5. Voodoo Doctor - This is the 2nd most common one I see cast and wasted on turn 1.


If you are making any of these mistakes, then focus on being patient and making smarter play choices so that you can improve your Hearthstone skills and your win percentage.  Make sure to check back to read more articles in this series for improving your Hearthstone play.

Happy Hearthstoning!

Great Article for New & Regular Players: How To Earn More XP Per Hearthstone Match

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

My Top Hearthstone Deck: Priest Card Draw

Priest Deck - Card Drawing Cleric Deck

Hearthstone Priest Deck Build
My best performing deck so far in Hearthstone's Play Mode is the one I am currently playing.  The Priest Card Drawing Cleric Deck that I am playing is a modification of some of the basics only Priest decks that you can find online on various forums.  Of course, like any wise player, I've adapted my own deck to include cards that I deem as better choices and that fit better into my own personal play styles.  Let's take a look at the Hearthstone Priest Deck that I used to rather easily hit 3 star Master in hardly no time at all.

Priest Card Draw / Control

This Priest deck relies on efficient minions, card drawing potential, the Priest's Hero Power to heal, and trading minions wisely to achieve victory.  The Northshire Cleric is awesome for gaining a card advantage over your opponent, if they are unable to get rid of it quickly.  There are only 7 non-basic cards in this deck and the cheaper basics only version is almost just as good as this deck.  I will provide options for a similar deck list that uses only basic cards later in this post.

After the main wipe and patch in Hearthstone, Priest decks have risen to popularity because they now have on of the best sets of basic cards to choose from as a priest.  Many of the basic minion cards work well with this type of Priest deck, so it is a common class that a lot of players have been trying out.  The synergy and card drawing ability can be so good that even poor players can earn wins with this deck due to the sheer ability to gain such a great card advantage over your opponents.

There are many matches where my opponent will be down to 1 or no cards without any minions, while I have a hand of 5 control spells and an answer to anything they can lay on the board.

The weakness in a Priest deck is with creatures that are 4 attack power, since neither of the Shadow Word spells or the Shadow Madness can target them.  So those 4 attack creatures either have to be killed with smart minion trades (and healing) or smoked with a Shadow Word: Death, should the opponent foolishly buff one out of the 4 attack safety zone.  Then there is always the option of Mind Control if it is late enough in the game.

Another important aspect of this deck is it's lack of true fatties.  So any other Priest that you are playing that likes to hold their Mind Control for a big fatty to steal, will never see one and will often have to steal back the minion that you stole from them in the first place.  Then once they steal it back, you SW:D the thing and laugh.


Let's take a look at this Priest Deck:

Minions:

  • 2x Northshire Cleric - Runs the main card drawing engine.  
  • 2x Amani Berserker - Can hit for big while damaged, then be healed to protect.
  • 2x Novice Engineer - Card drawing efficient low cost minion.
  • 2x Ironfur Grizzly - Cheap taunter used to protect your cleric and other minions.
  • 2x Shattered Sun Cleric - Great minion that gives a buff to another minion that can swing the tempo into your favor.
  • 2x Lightspawn - Can get even bigger with a PW:Shield buff on them.  Often will soak nasty removal spells like Hex and Polymorph and often trade multiple cards to kill.
  • 2x Sen'jin Shieldmasta - Top notch taunter for protection.
  • 1x Darkscale Healer - Comes in and heals all your minions and you.  When cleric is out can really get you a lot of cards drawn.
  • 2x Silver Hand Knight - One of the top cards in Hearthstone in my opinion.  Such efficient cost and summons a pair of minions, which will often swing the tempo back into your favor.



Control:

  • 2x Holy Smite - Cheap, early removal is important to fend of the common 3/2 minions that hit turn 1.
  • 2x Shadow Word: Pain - Kills anything with 3 or less attack.
  • 2x Shadow Word: Death - Kills anything with 5 or more attack.
  • 1x Shadow Madness - Used to kill 2 of their creatures by stealing one to suicide into the other.  Can really wreck someone's day.
  • 2x Holy Nova - AoE spell that also heals.  Works great when a cleric is out.
  • 2x Mind Control - The most cried about card on the forums right now.  The threat of even having one in your hand changes how your opponent plays against you.  Often used late to steal an important taunter or a big fatty and crush the opponents last minute win or turtle attempt.



Buffs:

  • 2x Power Word: Shield - I normally don't run buff cards, because they tend to lose you card advantage, but this one draws you a card so it replaces itself.  When combined with your Priest hero ability to heal, it can really swing the tempo in your favor and allow for your minions to kill more than one enemy minion, while staying alive.  A buffed 1/5 Cleric is a lot harder to deal with and a Lightspawn turns into a 7/7 with this buff.  Got a 4/4 that needs to kill another 4/4?  Buff yours to 4/6, ram it, then heal away, and draw a card if your Cleric is out.  ;)


Cheaper Priest Deck With Basic Cards Only

If you don't have the expert cards required to complete this deck, then there are some very similar and efficient swaps that you can make for a Priest deck made with only the free to play basic cards.  Here is a list of what to replace in this deck to run with all basics.  This list also shows what to replace as you do start to get some of those other expert level cards. 

Example:  If you get an Amani Berserker, swap it in for a River Crocolisk.

  • 2 Amani Berserkers -> 2 River Crocolisks
  • 1 Shadow Madness -> Add a 2nd Darkscale Healer
  • 2 Lightspawn -> 2 Chillwind Yeti
  • 2 Silver Hand Knight -> 2 Gnomish Inventor
You can play around with the Priest deck build and see if you like the Chillwind Yeti or the Lightspawn better in your deck.  Both have their advantages and weaknesses.  The Yeti can't be nerfed by a Silence, but the Lightspawn can be buffed to get even bigger, while both often trade for more than 1 creature.


Have fun with this great Hearthstone Priest Deck!  I will see you at the top of the ranked ladder.


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Friday, October 18, 2013

Hearthstone Beta Key Contest Solution

We've Had A Winner Claim The Code!

Well, it took 14 hours after the initial release of the puzzle, but we've had a winner solve the solution and claim the code for their very own access to the Hearthstone Beta!  Good Job on solving the puzzle.  There were clues and codes hidden in specific posts, on the Cold's Gold Factory Facebook Page, various Twitter accounts I'm associated with, as well as clues from the various gaming and music podcasts that I am a part of currently.

Stay Tuned for the next Hearthstone Beta Key giveaway, which you can hear about starting on Monday.  That contest will award a winner on Halloween, so you will have plenty of time to enter for your chance at another Beta Key.

Solution to Yesterdays Puzzle:


AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF-GG-HH-II-JJ-KK-LL-M
73-61-05-92-29-89-76-03-84-74-59-71-3

  • AA  - If you were looking for a keyboard for a gamer, you might find a hint for this code.
  • BB - On this episode of The Eviscerated Gaming Podcast, we first talked about the cancellation of the WoW Trading Card Game.
  • CC - On this episode of my DJ podcast, I played my current favorite track, "Indie Anna Jones".
  • DD - There is a hint in the post on this site that highlights the clothing of a popular TV nerd.
  • EE - Nonmail joined us as a special guest for his first appearance on The Eviscerated Gaming Podcast on this episode.
  • FF - If you like the Cold's Gold Factory Facebook Page, then you may already have seen this hint.
  • GG - What year was R9sid9nt9vil born?
  • HH - On this episode of The Electronic Education Podcast, one of my special guest DJs spins a Psy-Trance set.
  • II - In the only guest post on this site about Hearthstone, you will find another hint.
  • JJ - What year was I, Cold, born?
  • KK - On this episode of The Eviscerated Gaming Podcast, we find out about an idiot high on LSD who thinks he is a necromancer!
  • LL - Hint:  Braaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiins!
  • M - The original mana cost of the Hearthstone Mage Spell Frostbolt prior to the patch changing it's casting cost.
Keep Yours Ears Open For The Next Contest & Good Luck!
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