Training dummies updated in the Wrath beta
by Alex Ziebart 
Sep 3rd 2008 at 9:00AM
In the most recent beta push, patch 8885, training dummies were added to the sewers of Dalaran (and many other places in the world as well, apparently) by popular request. They were requested to replace what Dr. Boom did for everyone in The Burning Crusade: A way to benchmark DPS and crunch other numbers while outside of a raid, on a mob that didn't die long before you hit your limit. These training dummies certainly helped, but there was only one problem. The dummies were level 1, so certain important stats were greatly inflated while hitting them, such as critical strike percentages.Luckily, Kalgan has posted that the training dummies will be getting an upgrade in the next patch. The level 1 dummies will be replaced by level 80 dummies with typical level 80 stats, as well as 'boss level' dummies with boss stats. This will definitely provide much more accurate numbers for players trying to benchmark themselves. I, for one, look forward to testing the upcoming Shadow Priest changes on one of these as soon as it's all in place. I do not, however, look forward to searching for a dummy not already in use by someone else! They've been insanely popular on the beta realms in their level 1 state, and I think beta testers will love them even more at the proper levels.
Filed under: Expansions, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Jewbanks Sep 3rd 2008 9:04AM
I think Im mostly just excited cuz i always wanted to hit those dummies in thereamore. I think I may go out there and attack those specifically to relieve some repent hostility.
Zunaj Sep 3rd 2008 9:10AM
Place a handful of these in (almost) every settlement in Northrend, and players will have an easier time finding a vacant one to abuse. Or use this awesome phasing technology.
Axolotl Sep 3rd 2008 9:10AM
Great idea, considering maxing out all weaponskills is an achievement
Metal_Gear Sep 3rd 2008 9:11AM
Do they increase your weapons skills while using them? I guess at level 1 you cant really tell, but at level 80, you should be able to stand in front of one of them and max your skills.
At least that way, I wont mind when I am still on a level 60 bow and I finally get a great level 70 Epic X-Bow and then realise I can do sod all damage to it until I go pay a visit to Dr. Boom
Alex Ziebart Sep 3rd 2008 9:24AM
Currently, I don't think they do skill up weapons, but a lot of people are asking for it so it may or may not happen.
RogueJedi86 Sep 3rd 2008 9:54AM
Doubt it'll happen. People could just afk and max out weapon skills in a few hours. If Blizz wanted weapon skill to be that trivial, they'd just remove it entirely.
Aurdon Sep 3rd 2008 10:54AM
I agree...would be nice but the AFKer's would ruin it. I would like to see them allow your weapon to skill up to perhaps 70% of max or so, so you still have to do some training on real mobs.
Nick S Sep 3rd 2008 11:28AM
If weapon skill is still in the game, it'll be autoattack - spacebar - read a book. And that's not a bad thing, in a universe where weapon skill (which, btw, serves no purpose) exists.
Sean Sep 3rd 2008 9:13AM
I, for one, welcome our new training dummy overlords.
dotorion Sep 3rd 2008 9:18AM
+10 awesome points for Simpsons reference
Halokon Sep 3rd 2008 10:56AM
*cough* Half-Life 2 *cough*
Kuhtarl Sep 3rd 2008 11:26AM
Kent Brockman ftw!
John Sep 3rd 2008 12:06PM
*cough* Actually from a early episode of The Simpsons, when Homer becomes an astronaught. The ant farm gets broken and the ants apear giant on the streamed video to earth. Then Kent Brockman says "I for one welcome our giant ant overlords" and it has been recycled in pop culture ever since. The simpsons episode aired 24-Feb-94, well before Half-Life 2.
Mindflayer Sep 3rd 2008 5:05PM
It's actually from WWII, when Soviet troops captured a Ukranian rebel and asked how he could fight on the side of the Nazis. He said, "I for one welcome our German overlords."
miked Sep 4th 2008 12:13PM
@Mindflayer ... do you have a source for that? I've always thought it was purely a simpsons reference and have never heard otherwise. I'd be curious to read about the original coining of the phrase but some quick googling turns up nothing. Just curious..
Crabbe Sep 3rd 2008 9:22AM
Can these be used to skill up weapon skills? I'd be nice to be able to kick back against one of these instead of running around killing gray mobs.
Jewbanks Sep 3rd 2008 9:31AM
I like to level my weapon skill on the infernals outside the two big towns in SMV.. If youre really bad with the weapon you wont pull aggro and itll take forever to kill it. Plus you skill up much faster considering theyre 67+
Riodhr Sep 3rd 2008 9:22AM
But will they skill up weapons? That's what I would be most excited about. As a hunter it gets quite annoying trying to skill up so many different melee weapons, especially considering the uh... "image"... that a meleeing hunter in good gear presents.
MechChef Sep 3rd 2008 9:54AM
AWESOME. The best I could get were the unkillable mobs in the blasted lands (Servants of ____). But they were mid to high 50's, so chance to miss on lvl 70-73 mobs was off the table. Furthermore. I'd have to take breaks to stop, bandage, and continue again.
Wasuremono Sep 3rd 2008 9:29AM
I want to heal a training dummy. Even though it isn't really necessary it would be fun!