Rare Skin Spotlight - The Shoveler & Pitchfork of Madness

It's time for me to talk a little about one of the coolest weapons in the game. No I don't mean Twin-Blades of Azzinoth or Shadowmourne, something far cooler. I am talking about The Shoveler. What makes this particular weapon so cool? Well unless you guessed it - it's shaped like a big shovel. What else could one need?

First time I encountered this weapon was when leveling my first warrior. I was some level 30ish and I don't recall how this baby got into my furry hands - whether I found it, bought it or it was given to me - it all mattered little when I realized I was actually fighting with a huge shovel in my hands. I loved it so much I even kept for way longer than it was good. Even when I had found other weapons that were better i just couldn't let it go, it had turned into my precious.

The Shoveler is a blue rarity, random world drop 2handed mace. It requires level 32 to wield and has 15 stamina and 20 attackpower making it good for both arms warriors and enhancement shamans, maybe even hunters who just want to sport a really cool weapon (hunters can't use maces, silly me). Druids can use it too, but since you wouldn't see it in action when they're in bear/cat form that just seems like a waste. Since it is a world drop, the best way to find it is probably to guard the AH like a hawk from the first day you roll any of the abovementioned classes. The Shoveler, being something of a collectible, is one of those items that easily falls into the hands of blue-mongers, people who sift the AH for cheap blues and then try to sell them for extreme prices. This sweetie is definitely worth some 100g in my book, mostly because of the looks, but many people would easily try to get more than that from us desperate people trying to make some questing with an honest shovel.

The only thing cooler than one shovel would be dual-wielding shovels!

In case you're having a hard time to getting your hands on this awesome weapon, or just want to collect additional weapons of this style, I have dug up an alternative that is just about as cool. Unfortunately it has a flaw - it's extremely hard to come by.

With a name that might actually be even cooler than The Shoveler, the Pitchfork of Madness is a level 60 polearm that gives 117 attackpower when fighting demons. Stouting this baby would be something to brag about, since it is fairly difficult to come by. This Pitchfork is dropped by Renataki in zul'Gurub. "Who?" you ask? With right. Renataki isn't one of the regular bosses, but one that has to be summoned. Wowhead has explained the procedure in a good way;

"Renataki is a troll rogue ghost boss that can spawn from the Edge of Madness event in Zul'Gurub. The event requires a Gurubashi Mojo Madness, the recipe for which can be learned by an alchemist from the tablet of Madness located in the area. Extuingishing the brazier with this potion causes one of four bosses to spawn.

The boss that spawns is on a rotating calendar, which will change on the first and third Monday of every month. Each boss [is] active for two weeks, then for the next two weeks another will spawn." - Wowhead.com

Not only does this mean you have to have an alchemist along with you (or be one yourself), you also have to time the right week to make Renataki spawn. To make matters worse Zul'Gurub will go away as it is now in Cataclysm, possibly (probably) making this item unobtainable once the new expansion hits us. This means owning this weapon could be real kudos, even setting aside the fact that it's a frickin Pitchfork of Madness!

For the person who likes fakes just as much as the real thing, there are plenty of alternatives. They look just as cool, but we all know they aren't just as awesome.

To find replacement for The Shoveler you could use one of these;

• Burrowing Shovel - Level 10, drops in Westfall from Master Diggers
• Goblin Power Shovel - Level 29, drops in STV from Venture Co. miner
• Silver Spade - Level 41 quest, Venture Company Mining
• Farmer's Shovel - Level 2, drops Tirisfal Glades from Tirisfal Farmers
• Kobold Mining Shovel - Level 3, drops in Elwynn Forest from Kobold Tunneler.

Pitchfork of Madness could be replaced with one of these;

• Pitchfork - Level 20, drops in Hillsbrad Foothills from Hillsbrad Farmers
• Rusted Pitchfork - No level requirement, drops in Scarlet Enclave (EPL, dk start area) from Citizens, Peasants and Miners. 

Got any weapon you love?
Thanks to the anon contributors at thottbot.com and wowhead.com for the pictures.