Fools rush in

Alexander Pope had a point, but of course he did. I didn't have much enthusiasm for Pope whilst studying his work at university, but my lecturer sure did and his enthusiasm stayed with me. Pope required a more mature audience than the student that I was, but I have matured over the years and now I again read Pope over my morning coffee, whilst the auctioneer software updates in the background.

The biggest mistakes I have made in the game so far has been to rush in with not enough prior knowledge or detailed investigation. I set my heart on the phantom blade and threw money into blacksmithing to level up the few points I was short to hit the appropriate skill at the same time as hitting level 44. Paying 75 gold for a blade seemed like too much money, so I vowed to make one myself. It was not until after I had spent serious gold on the levelling and obtained the recipe that I realized just how expensive the mats were. If I had simply bought it on the Auction House, I would have been able to afford it. Now I was short of gold and in need of purchasing quite a few very expensive mats which I was not high enough level to farm myself. I could not afford to make the blade until my main had hit level 50.

I did the same thing again yesterday. I thought the Smoking Heart of the Mountain trinket looked cool. I spent 30 gold on the pattern, 7 gold on the blood of the mountain, 30 gold on the shards (I had learned part of the lesson and bought at a large discount) and only when Chris logged in his enchanting character and couldn't craft it did I notice that the black forge was required. Again, around 70 gold spent on something that will now lie in the bank for a while, if not eternity, because it's time-consuming and we don't have that much play time. Besides, I think the Ward of the Elements trinket is as easy/difficult to obtain and it is superior.

I think I am learning the lesson. Don't rush in. Also, "A little Learning is a dang'rous Thing". I'm starting to get it now, Mr Pope.