LOOK. Up in the sky. It's a bird. It's a bear. It's something in between the both of those.
Ah, the mythical Owlbear. Known by some as the "Moonkin", it is a species studied by the druidic races of Azeroth. A sapient race of towering humanoids, the Moonkin have long protected the deepest forests of Kalimdor. Little did the anthropologists know that Moonkin would eventually engage in aerial combat maneuvers.
Not only are druids the arguably most versatile class in the World of Warcraft, but they are infamous for their ability to knock unsuspecting players off the saddles of their swooping mounts! The A.S.S. (Air Superiority Squadron) has famously pioneered new air combat PvP techniques that have been mirrored by other assault squadrons on servers around the world.
This guide will teach you some of the techniques of air combat. This guide is especially relevant due to the fact that Cataclysm introduces flight in Azeroth, which will make for some truly epic encounters.
1.) Understand the nature of the beast.
A druid is a very versatile choice, and one of the most popular class choices in the game, per armory data mining data. Druids have the ability to fulfill any role in the game, from ranged DPS to tanking. Because druids are so powerful, it necessarily follows that they have discernible weaknesses; but the nature of the druid is one that defies the tradition of deductive logic.
2.) Better living through engineering.
Even though druids can transform into birds and take off in mid air, this does not stop you from getting into sticky situations where you find yourself falling tens of thousands of feet through freezing Northrend air. Due to this, it is most opportune to have a mage or a parachute. Because magi are statistically afraid of Boomkins, it is more viable to invest in a parachute, which despite human anthropomorphism from thankful survivors of these air incidents, are relatively inanimate and lack opinions regarding the nature of our feathered friends.
Aside from the usefulness of the parachute, the utility of other inventions such as the hand-mounted pyro rocket make the profession especially appealing. Topping off an orbital moon beam with the fiery blast of a rocket only adds to the potency of the literal moving, living, breathing, walking nuclear weapon that is the Boomkin. Even Lockheed Martin and DOW in coordination could have never devised such a dastardly invention if left to their own devices.
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Typically, an air encounter with a solo ace pilot will run as follows:
1.) Scope out a suitable target. A great place to wait and find flagged-up members of the opposite faction is in the launch area in Dalaran. Wait for them to take off but don't leave so late to let them gap a great distance.
2.) Understand the capabilities of the target. Can it slowfall, heal, bubble, or make itself completely immune to damage? Assess the nature of your target -- is it geared for PvP or PvE encounters. Especially good targets are those dressed in silly costumes, or if you're on an RP server, those dressed in roleplaying gear. (That is, gear that is only worn for appearance and does not award any substantial bonuses)
3.) Engage the target. Quickly apply your DoTs such as Moonfire and Insect Swarm if applicable. Slowly float sown with your parachute and re-engage the enemy after transforming back into a bird.
4.) If the target manages to hit the ground unharmed, swoop down and finish them off or apply DoTs as they take to the air.
5.) Use Typhoon to knock the target into unstable areas, such as the minefield in Storm Peaks, or drive them off their falling course into the ocean to hit land and die from fall damage.
More advanced techniques will be covered with self-made videos in part 2 of the guide.