The Queue: I'm not as strong of a mounter as I once was
by Adam Holisky 
Feb 9th 2009 at 1:30PM
Mounts. Everyone is talking about them. Everyone has one. Everyone wants more. More! Moar!
Me? I prefer to mount up and press the / key, walking around Azeroth at the slowest speed I can stand. The tells I get from people as I walk through Elwynn Forest on a lazy Sunday afternoon are priceless. "Zomg noob u knw u can g0 fastor? rit3?"
Kill me now god... Kill me now...
Redski asked...
"Has there been any word on when mount-vehicles that prevent riders from taking falling damage will behave like regular mounts?"
Patch 3.1 will be making all mounts, well, behave like mounts. This is kind of a shame because I love to jump off high places on my 20,000g mammoth. But oh well. You can find a listing of known 3.1 changes at our Guide to Patch 3.1.
Lownwolf asked...
"Are the daily dungeon quests the same on every server? Is there some way to find out what the daily heroic is without logging on?"
No. Daily dungeon quests are different for each server. Some people claim that they are the same across an entire battlegroup, but there's been no evidence I've ever seen to support that.
There is no way to find out what the daily dungeons quests are at the moment. We've looked into getting such a tool setup here at WoW Insider, but that would essentially require multiple people to logon to every server and check – and even then we'd be dependent upon having someone else tell us what the quest was because we wouldn't be a high enough level to check.
Blizzard could implement a tool, much like the realm status page, that would tell us what the daily dungeon quests were for each server. However I doubt that's on their list of priorities.
Alex asked...
"How soon do you think we'll see the ability to create any character at a higher level, not necessarily 55? Those early 60 levels are rough."
Probably not anytime soon. Recruit-a-friend is still a relatively new thing, and Blizzard really likes their old world zones. They've said before that they don't want to get themselves in a situation where the old world is never visited, and I think that allowing characters to auto level to 55+ would go against that.
What I would expect to see, with the next expansion, is a continuation of the Death Knight like starting experience. I fully expect the next hero class to come in at level 55 or 65. The way Death Knights are created, the whole story line and everything, works so well and has been such a smash – I just can't imagine Blizzard wouldn't want to do that again.
Arch Druid all the way, baby.
Dave asked...
"Any word on whether or not mail will be making a return to blacksmithing on the high end; either in whole, or as armorsmith items?"
No word. And I wouldn't expect any. While professions are changed and things are added with each patch it seems, the overall trend is that there are no "zomg this is mind blowing" changes done to the profession in any incremental patch (ie: 3.0 to 3.1, 3.1 to 3.2...) I wouldn't rule it out for the next expansion, however.
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider crew is here with The Queue, our daily Q&A column! Leave your questions in the comments and we'll do our best to answer 'em!Filed under: The Queue
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Tora Feb 9th 2009 1:36PM
That change to vehicle-mounts is crap. I mean, I paid 15k for this mammoth/chopper, I have a right to ride it off the nearest cliff and not die!
Heilig Feb 9th 2009 3:24PM
Do you also have the right to not be stunnable when you're mounted because you paid more than me?
Yeah, starts to seem a little broken now, doesn't it?
Sentient Feb 10th 2009 2:34AM
Personally, the change would make it more likely I'll purchase a TTM or Mechano-hog. Being a pally I'd rather ride a floating grey block with Crusader Aura then a TTM without it.
Angus Feb 10th 2009 9:03AM
"Do you also have the right to not be stunnable when you're mounted because you paid more than me?"
Actually, yes, I do.
See, I paid for the thing.
Do I have the right to fly rings around you with my 280% speed mount while your cheap self is on a 60% flying mount?
Yes I do.
Effort put into making gold to buy the mounts (and in some cases MAKE it) should be rewarded. With the fast mounts the effort is a speed increase. With these mounts, it is the fact that they are vehicles and so have special rules, while still being ground mounts.
ava Feb 9th 2009 1:39PM
Any word on when they're going to make engineers not useless in 3.1...
No mammoth cutters...
No Saronite Arrows...
15k BoE mount...
30g epic gun tip...
GOODBYE ENGINEERING
YOU HAVE BECOME MORE USELESS THAN PARIS HILTON'S OPINION IN POLITICS!!
Cyrus Feb 9th 2009 2:05PM
QQ more. All through WoW classic, engineering *was* useless. Or it had lots of quirky, situational uses, but nothing that was particularly good for either the vast majority of combat situations or for making money. There were still plenty of engineers here and there, partly because it was fun and funny and partly because when those "quirky, situational" uses were useful they were very useful, like jumper cables and repair-bots for wipe recovery. And that's fine, because after all, WoW has a little steampunk-esque technology thrown in but is mostly in a fantasy setting.
Ever since BC, engineers have had the usual "fun" effects like the poultryizer, plus money-making abilities like the mote extractor AND endgame-viable gear like the goggles and epic gun. OK, the motorcycles may not be profitable, I don't know, and ammo is going away, but that just means that engineering, while still fun and useful, is no longer quite as lucrative. Are you really complaining about that?
Jay in Oregon Feb 9th 2009 2:31PM
I made my friend's hunter very happy by giving her 5 Saronite Arrow Makers as a "Welcome to 80!" gift.
My hope is that they're replacing the Ultrasafe Bullet Machine and Saronite Arrow Maker recipes with recipes to make the arrow/bullet tokens for the ammo slot. Still not as profitable as churning out stacks of ammo, but hopefully it won't be a total nerf to Engineering -- Hammer Picks, Bladed Picks, and Gnomish Army Knives only go so far.
I also hope that we get some new/interesting ammo recipes, as there have been several hints of new ammo types. Bullets that do fire damage? Arrows that do cold damage?
Engineering is fun, and I love the element of whimsy that come with being a Gnome Engineer, but it's the least profitable of the crafting professions and will become less profitable once consumable ammo goes out the door. How about some relatively easy to craft non-flying mount recipes, like unique Mechastrider variants? A Gnomish Fishing Pole that you can use to give your character the ability to track fish pools for 10 minutes that conbines with other tracking abilities the way the ability to see gas nodes does? I'd love to see Gnome Engineers get a battleground-viable recipe the way Goblin Engineers get Goblin Sapper Charges. (Seriously, Blizzard? Only one recipe each for the Engineering specs in WotLK?)
Arashikou Feb 9th 2009 3:35PM
Hey, that's not true!
...Paris Hilton said at least A FEW interesting things during the last election season.
peagle Feb 9th 2009 3:44PM
Engineering still has the freebie T7.5 helm, and depending on your spec, the glove "hyperspeed accelerators" are the best enchant out there..
Erdinger Feb 9th 2009 6:24PM
T7.5 helm? Are you kidding? The engineering helms are well below T7. Even the helm drop from Thaddius has better DPS stats for a boomkin (and that doesn't even include the 23 MP5 on the Thaddius helm). Seriously? Tier 7 absolutely blows away engineering equivalents for all druids.
The hyperspeed accelerator glove enchants are only relevant for a a few classes with talent procs (I play boomkin, so eclipse counts). Engineering isn't just somewhat less lucrative. It has no economic viability.
The general personal PVE benefit of professions (mostly relevant with best-in-slot gear) is currently Jewelcrafting>>Blacksmithing>Enchanting>Inscription=Leatherworking=Tailoring>>Engineering (Best for Boomkin and Destro Warlocks, but still last place)
Which is sad because Jewelcrafting is also the most profitable profession, followed by enchanting, and then after a steep drop-off blacksmithing and leatherworking. Tailoring is slightly behind those two, and inscription and engineering hold the solid last 2 places.
In other words combining those economic and personal benefit profession ranks, JC>>Chant>BS>LW>Tailor>Inscription>Engineering. Awesome.
JDM Feb 10th 2009 5:26AM
It's already the best profession. They have x-ray goggles!
Gimmlette Feb 9th 2009 1:44PM
In regards to starting a character at a higher level than 55, other examples of how Blizzard wants characters to not avoid the old world is the fact that no trainers exist in Dalaran and all professions start at 1.
It would be a shame to have all classes start at a higher level. That progression from 1-60 is where most people should learn to play a character at least moderately well.
Of course, ask me how I feel about leveling when my main is level 150, I beat the Titans in endgame, am bored, and decide to make a warrior who starts at level 1. It's possible, by that time, I may have forgotten where Deadmines is.
Adam Holisky Feb 9th 2009 1:53PM
I've thought about this myself, and I think it's especially relevant for those of us who'll be in this game for the long haul. Say 5+ years from now.
From what I've heard, and it's just rumors really, there are no plans to move beyond level 100. Even with 100 levels, I have a hard time conceptualizing level 50 as "half way there."
There are some games, like Anarchy Online, who have 225 (iirc, it could be 250 or 220), levels. Those were great. But AO is also an entirely different game.
Man, now I need to go reactive my AO account. BRB Aliens.
RogueJedi86 Feb 9th 2009 2:05PM
No trainers? There's Mage Trainers there, plus trainers for all professions(you didn't specify which kind of trainers). But there are mage trainers.
Kassu Feb 9th 2009 2:20PM
If I catch anyone even THINKING about the possibility of an Arch-Druid class I'm going to nerberserk.
Seriously, that's the single most stupid rumor I have ever heard in WoW.
Gimmlette Feb 9th 2009 2:28PM
True. I did not specify trainers. In my head, I did, but, as I preach to guildies, I can't read what's going on in your head.
There are profession trainers and mage trainers but not other CLASS trainers. As a hunter, I still had to go back to the old world to train.
We have a druid class. Let's come up with something else. How about "merchant" class? You could choose to be one of three classes. I think I'll choose insurance. "Excuse me, Mr. Arthas. Could I interest you in some life insurance?" As Arthas listens to sales pitch, he is stunned for 2 minutes, at which time all damage done is magnified 200%.
Quickshiv Feb 9th 2009 2:27PM
I have to whole heartedly disagree with this statement.
"It would be a shame to have all classes start at a higher level. That progression from 1-60 is where most people should learn to play a character at least moderately well."
All classes have a completely different play style at end game compared to leveling.
Healers don't heal and tanks don't tank until end game unless they happen to want to do old instances. Even dps classes don't play the same. You have a completely different rotations when leveling vs instances.
Most people at this point who already have a level 55+ character are just trying to speed level. It is a means to an end and I think anyone should be able to turn in their DK slot for something else.
bob Feb 9th 2009 2:49PM
Thats a great idea. Turn in your Hero Class slot on a server for a lvl 55 of any class. If you can role a Death Knight you already have at least one toon at the level cap.
Arashikou Feb 9th 2009 3:42PM
@Quickshiv:
Not only that, but I'm finding as I level alts that even if you DON'T try to rush yourself to 80, the increased levelling speed has resulted in me learning much less about my class as I go along.
With toons quickly outlevelling their enemies and ending up flooded with green quests in every zone, it's very hard to learn the mechanics of their class. Why learn the proper rotation when you can faceroll through some grey and green enemies on a green quest and still level up at a reasonable rate? I've actually taken to skipping quest chains if they go green on me and sticking to yellow and orange quests just to get some challenge and try to feel like I'm learning and progressing with my alts instead of just harvesting experience from victims who can barely touch me.
Redski Feb 9th 2009 1:45PM
Thank you sir! I will savor it while I can.