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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsTraining 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 2 of 3)
Runstadrey Sep 3rd 2008 9:30AM
If we can't raise our weapons skills, then these will only be useful to the theorycrafters and others who spend as much (or more) time maximizing their gear as playing the game. I regularly read the theorycraft articles and posts, but I, personally, want to play the game.
JR Sep 3rd 2008 10:32AM
Your selfishness is most impressive. You admit to reading theorycraft articles, and therefore benefitting from them, but still you don't want stuff to help the theorycrafters write their articles. GG.
Runstadrey Sep 3rd 2008 1:02PM
No, you twit, I am not asking that they be off limits to theorycrafters, I'm asking that they be usable by the general population.
L2Read.
darian Sep 3rd 2008 2:49PM
They are usable by the general population, just not in the way you specifically want.
There are plenty of people in the general populace that will use these to check their DPS. It's not just theorycrafters that run off and pound on Dr. Boom or the Servants of Alistarj.
Ben Sep 3rd 2008 9:47AM
I would be happy if you could raise the weapon skill level to the equivalent of level 60 or 70 on the dummy. That way you would only have to take it the last few levels in real combat.
zack Sep 3rd 2008 9:48AM
It would be really cool if they had an instance that allows you to do the number crunching and such with unlimited respecs which would be valid only there.
joe Sep 3rd 2008 11:54AM
This is a really excellent idea.
Grayle Sep 3rd 2008 9:57AM
This it would be possible to have something for tanks? It would be great if there was a way to practice tps and mitigation techniques without actually having to put a full raid at risk, and even world elites aren't enough of a practice dummy, because they hardly generate the rage needed that end-game raid bosses do. For example, no world elite can really be a benchmark for tps or mitigation to a sunwell or even BT geared tank.
zappo Sep 3rd 2008 10:41AM
Unless these things just give you rage/mana I don't see how that's going to be possible to really. It would be a great tool to help people out though. I've started leveling a paladin and I still haven't actually grouped with anyone since Azeroth groups are... yeah. I'd feel a lot better if I had an idea of how much threat I was generating and what actually works.
I think if Blizzard wanted to help out with the tank shortage, then this would be a great help in that department. God knows we'll need it when the masses of death knights who can't tank hit the streets.
Rale Sep 3rd 2008 9:57AM
This is a GREAT change. Now if we can skill up our weapon skills on these bad boys, that would make it all the better. Takes me back to my UO days :)
RogueJedi86 Sep 3rd 2008 10:00AM
Heh, that's my picture of the Theramore Combat Dummy!
And from the original thread, here's a video of how to get to the Dummy, and how it works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6kM1EGT6uc
Alex Ziebart Sep 3rd 2008 10:07AM
I actually took the picture myself, but we can share it if you want!
RogueJedi86 Sep 3rd 2008 10:37AM
Oops, confused with mine http://wotlk.wowhead.com/?npc=4952#screenshots:id=37870
My bad. I took a sunset shot of a few guards, and a noon shot of the dummy, and confused them in my mind.
Zali Sep 3rd 2008 12:06PM
Oh man. Thanks for the laugh. For some reason that hit my funny bone hard.
FoSho Sep 3rd 2008 5:22PM
Many people want to lvl up their weapons on these dummies and I agree. Somebody responded "If Blizz wanted people to go afk and lvl up their weapons they would just remove the lvl up skill in general." My response to that is, yes, that would be a great idea, afterall, you dont see mages having to lvl up fire, frost and arcane abilities. Melee/Hunters get so f'ed over with something that doesnt even need to be in the game (especially since they removed +axes,+guns, etc.)
beluv Oct 3rd 2008 1:30PM
A possible solution to allowing weapon skill ups when using them would be to have two types. Have one that will not break and does not give weapon skill ups. This would be for theorycrafting. Have another that will break after so many hits then respawn that does give weapon skill ups. This way you could train your weapons without taking any damage but would also have to stay at your computer to find another dummy.
Zali Sep 3rd 2008 12:12PM
They could solve the AFK problem if they treated the dummies like a mob. It has a particular number of hit points and then despawns once you've hacked it to pieces. That way you have to retarget after so many hits. Put up 20 in an area, and set the respawn rate as a base percentage of how many of the dummies are up, so that if you get down to 12 or so, they automatically respawn.
That way, you can't AFK and just skill up, you have to actually be around smacking the things... No AFK problem, with the benefit of skilling up your weapons.
darian Sep 3rd 2008 2:51PM
Or they can do what they've done with the various Servants in the Blasted Lands and make players unable to skill up off of them. It's simple, effective, and doesn't disrupt a player's ability to go at a mob for extended periods of time.
Kyrren Sep 3rd 2008 4:28PM
Except the Servants of Whoever in Blasted Lands do skill up weapons. I've leveled 4 weapons alone on them, using bloodthirst to keep myself topped off. Hit 350 on 2h maces, axes, 2h axes, and 2h swords on them. Just takes time.
Chris V Sep 11th 2008 10:22PM
@Kyrren:
They aren't going to as of patch 3. They already don't on beta.