I've got a headache

Image by Queen Roly via Flickr

There's a brick wall in front of you. It's a wall you have built. You keep banging your head against that wall. You have a headache. And you're complaining about it. Do you stop banging your head against the wall?

The other day I got into a heated discussion with a friend who's opinion I respect. He was facing off against a class that had his number in the battlegrounds and it was driving him crazy. So much so that the constant stream of complaints about how the class should be nerfed really got under my skin.

Checking his talent spec against the most popular specs on WoW Popular,his spec was very different than those used by others of his class. He explained that his spec best suited his playstyle and it was wrong for Blizzard to force him to spec differently to be successful. And this is someone who I respect.

Often times Ive heard players cry out for a nerf of this class or that class to find that they are sitting in quest greens and going up against players who are in full tier ear or gladiator gear.Others show up for raids without a single flask, no enchants or gems and then complain that they aren't high enough on the DPS meter because Blizzard hates their class or other classes are overpowered.

The other complaint is class specific. I am also involved in an email debate over the proposed nerf of another class. The nerf would take one of it long cool down abilities and make it use on others only. this change is proposed specifically because of its use in PvP. Yet, this ability is a spell which can be interrupted. Still, the cesspool that is the official WoW forums are screaming "Overpowered!" and it looks like Blizzard may be listening to the din, instead of reason.

The questions come flying into my mind. When are players going to take responsibility for their own failures? Why is it so hard for them to accept that the mistake just might be theirs?

Recently, I finished leveling a death knight to 80. He is intended to be my PvP only character. When I hit 80, I entered Wintergrasp in quest greens and blues. As I had expected, I did well as ling as I was in a siege engine or a gun turrent, but let me go head to head against someone, I would get spanked fairly quickly. I could damage them, hurt them, make them sweat a little, but defeat them? No. Is it because I suck? Is it because the death knight is underpowered? Or was it the fact that I had crappy gear with no enchants or gems? I think the latter. And as I gain honor points Ive been purchasing last seasons gladiator gear. I have three pieces now and now when I face other players the fights are about 60-40. I lose 60% of the time. But as I replace more gear that will change more and more into my favor. I started off fodder but will end up on equal footing with others.

I also choose my targets carefully. I don't go after the Warrior with 35,000 health. I death grip the priest with 20,000 health. I choose targets that have my faction mates already beating on them. Head to head, is stupid until I'm geared properly, so I try to play smart.If I lose a fight now, either the person I was fighting had help, had better gear or was just a better player than me! It happens after all. No matter how good a player thinks they are, there is always someone better.

Yet, players continue to complain because they can't kill everyone. They continue to find excuses for their own shortcomings and they continue to call foul when another player bests them.

So if you're banging your head against your self imposed wall, at what point is the headache your own fault?