The Queue: Procs and more on Patch 3.1

Good morning, ladies and gents! Or afternoon for some of you. Probably evening for a few others! It's morning for me, though. That's all that matters, isn't it? Indeed. Adam is out of the office today thanks to a blizzard murdering his internet connection, so I'll be covering for him even though today is technically his turn to do The Queue. Lazy such-and-such, letting weather get in his way. Grumble.
Ian R. asked...
Do you think the first couple of bosses in Ulduar can be PUG'd on easy mode? Like Sartharion and Vault of Archavon?
I would say yes, but only if you get a group of people who are comfortable doing vehicle fights. If you get a group of people that are going to throw hissy fits because they can't figure out how a vehicle works, Flame Leviathan is going to be a massive cockblock since it's the first boss of the zone. If you can get a group that can handle that, they can probably handle a number of the early fights on easy mode. You probably won't be able to clear the place, but you'll definitely get some bosses down.
Phaelan asked...
Any idea when the Wintergrasp Portal in Dalaran will be fixed?
No.
Hollywood Ron asked...
Will the drops from Uldar 10 be upgrades from Naxx 25?
Yes, actually, but only very slightly. It's not a full 'tier' of gear higher than Naxx 25, it's about half a tier higher. Basically, the gear in 10-man Ulduar will be upgrades from 25-man Naxx, but so small that it's not really that important for you to go and pick it up.
25-man Naxx to 25-man Ulduar is a full tier higher, 25-man Naxx to 10-man Ulduar is around half of a tier higher.
Tharesar asked...
What does "proc" mean?
Well, there are a few different theories as to the etymology of the term. One of them suggests that it stands of "Programmed(or Programmable) Random Occurrence" which is something that is programmed to happen with a degree of randomness. Another theory is that it came from old MUDs, derived from "spec_proc" which was short for "special procedure." Special procedures are actions or activities assigned to players, items, or places within the MUD that triggered when something else happened. For example, you interact with an object, which triggers an effect on another object. Either way, it's shorthand/an abbreviation that sort of became a word itself.
I'm pretty sure you don't care about the etymology, though! The MMO term 'proc' pretty much stands for anything that can be triggered with some degree of randomness. Let's say you have an enchant on your weapon that has a 2% chance to proc on a melee swing. That means it has a 2% chance to trigger, and there's a somewhat random element to it.
Erinorofdarkspear asked...
Question about Heirlooms -- Wouldn't it make sense, that, if you were to be leveling multiple alts at the same time, to buy the Heirloom cloth shoulders so that all of your characters can wear them? What I am thinking of is just mailing them to each of my alts as soon as they are done resting, and when rest xp is up, sending it on to the next one. What do you think, oh fellow Alex?
If you're leveling a lot of alts all at once and don't have enough Emblems/Stone Keeper's Shards to buy multiple sets of Shoulders, yeah, just passing the Cloth shoulders around would work fine. Your gear wouldn't be optimal, but if all you're interested in is the 10% XP boost? Sure. That works. The only drawback is that you don't get great stats for all of your alts on Cloth shoulders, but that shouldn't be much of a problem at low levels.
asmus asked...
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if the woodchuck was nerfed 10% by Blizzard?
Sixty-seven point five.
Filed under: Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Raiding, The Queue
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Reader Comments (Page 3 of 7)
Rob Mar 11th 2009 11:54AM
I seem to recall a blue note saying that in 3.1 VOA will have a better loot table, or another boss with a better loot table, or something along those lines.
Shawn Mar 11th 2009 11:33AM
I thought I read that the new argent scout jamboree dailies will have some resource gathering quests. Do we know what items they will collect yet? So we can start to stockpile now if possible. Thanks!
Jay in Oregon Mar 11th 2009 11:41AM
The two quests that are available on the PTR involve gathering quest items that do not exist in the live version of the game. No Glowing Scorpid Blood or Wool Bandages this time around.
(Specifically, one has you cut down trees in Crystalsong Forest, and the other has you breaking stone blocks outside of Ulduar.)
Amaxe Mar 11th 2009 1:53PM
Makes sense. They don't want people to get a major jump on something before the patch. They know we will try (for example, I was stockpiling netherweave for first aid, since the heavy bandages were green at 375, but then I found out that they would be grey with the LK expansion)
Shawn Mar 11th 2009 3:02PM
Thanks! And yea, that of course makes sense. It's just my dream to find a use for all this damn netherweave that makes me ask :)
Majikthyz Mar 11th 2009 11:41AM
I always thought "proc" was short for "PRobability of OCcurrance" so if something had a "30% proc" on melee swing.....
Firespirit Mar 11th 2009 11:47AM
Has anyone noticed the distinct lack of new emblems for 10 man ulduar?
I know that they will be giving us 10 man-ers Emblems of Valour, but it seems like we are getting the gimp end of the stick. 25man gets to gear up with badges that are a full tier upgrades (from Naxx 25, etc....). We get emblems that will give us a Half tier upgrade - from Naxx 10 - Naxx 25.
It puts us at a distinct disadvantage. So to get our full T8 Gear, we have to wait on random drops from bosses. 25man get random drops AND emblem loot to get thier T8. Its a little frustrating to me.
It feels like Separate - but unequal - progression.
bundee Mar 11th 2009 12:12PM
Did you really just say that?
rosencratz Mar 11th 2009 12:33PM
Are you trying to say;
Naxx10=2 tier 7.10 for emblems
Naxx25=2 tier 7.25 for emblems
Uldua10=Above
Uldua25=2 tier 8.25 for emblems.
So you think 10 man ulduar runners are missing out on 8.10 tier gear from emblems? I can see why this would seem like you can't progress.
However, you should try to bear in mind that 8.10 gear is meant to have the same iLevel of 7.25. (Though apparently "slightly" better)
Also, to my mind your probably better off topping off a 4-set bonus from 2 7.25 and 2 7.10 pieces than getting a 2 set from tier 8.10... i'd expect.... class/spec dependant ofcourse.
Also remember that if Emblems of Valor could buy Tier 8.10 then manywould immediately have a 2 piece set on release date immediately giving 25 man runners a massive advanatage and the 10 manners would be even further behind.
I could be wrong on some of the above but that's my PoV.
Max Mar 11th 2009 12:36PM
it's 10 man. you want better gear? run 25 man.
suck it up
Balius Mar 11th 2009 4:30PM
Having to run 25 mans for better gear sucks. You're being rewarded not for more impressive personal performance, but for having to deal with other people. If Blizzard so chose, 25 man groups could graduate to 10 mans, and heroics could be tuned as the most challenging encounters.
That said, that's not the way the game is being managed now. You do need to run the 25 man Ulduar for a "true" upgrade. Blizzard's intent, I believe, is not that 10 man groups graduate to 25s, but that 10 mans only ever aspire to do 10 mans and ignore the 25 man loot as unattainable.
Jp Mar 11th 2009 11:51AM
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if the woodchuck got an enchant to have a 2% chance on chucking to proc an effect which increases chuck power by 300?
SimpleSurvival Mar 11th 2009 12:07PM
The Norris chant is not going live... so it doesn't really matter, you are going to have to settle for the 1% chance to proc +75
malaika Mar 11th 2009 1:13PM
That really depends on the woodchuck's spec. But we'll have to wait until 3.1 goes live to positively quantify how the reworked talents will affect the woodchucks.
Mak Mar 11th 2009 2:59PM
What do you mean? An African or a European woodchuck?
Paraella Mar 11th 2009 11:56AM
Question: Do you know if, along with hearthstone CDs being lowered to 30 min in the new patch, if the refer-a-friend Summon Friend CD will also be lowered to 30 min? This would only make sense, as Summon Friend is often used right after hearth, right?
skreeran Mar 11th 2009 12:52PM
Nothing has been said about it.
Broadcloak Mar 11th 2009 12:07PM
When are we going to see GUILD ACHIEVEMENTS and have we heard of any examples?
peagle Mar 11th 2009 12:28PM
That sounds hard to quantify, if people come and go from the guild. How would it really be that different from the current raid achievements?
Broadcloak Mar 11th 2009 12:38PM
@Peagle - dunno. that's why I asked :)
But I envision things like:
Have 1 of each class in guild over 80
More than 10 people who defeated Sapphiron
Guild bank with x tabs
Guild bank with over x gold
etc...