The Queue: Seven

Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Adam Holisky will be your host today.
Before I wrote six. Now I'm writing seven. And if you got the picture on six, you'll probably understand why Kara Thrace is the featured image for this article where I answer seven of your questions. And if you don't understand what I'm talking about, just know that my girlfriend bears a resemblance to Katie Sackhoff (beyond sharing the same first name), and that's worthy of a Queue introduction right there.And mark my words, she is somehow related to the seventh Cylon. Starbuck, not my girlfriend (although...).
Nakabeast asked...
"Heirlooms and similar items are listed as "Bind on Account." Now wouldn't this make more sense if these BoA items actually did what their tooltip lists, and let us trade these throughout entire accounts, not just one server? I'd love for my Death Knight on my friend's server to have Murky and the Big Blizzard Bear."
While you can't do that right now, Blizzard has not ruled out the possibility for future inter-server transfers. Don't expect it anytime soon though. And personally, I'd be surprised if we see it at all.
Kyte asked...
"Can you server transfer a character with heirloom items?"
Yes.
Bundee asked...
"Speaking of unfinished business, whatever happened to mount enchants?"
They're on the backburner. Every week or so a blue seems to make a comment on it, basically saying that there's nothing right now about mount enchants or trinkets, but that there could be in the future.
Paraella asked...
"Do you know if, along with hearthstone cooldowns being lowered to 30 min in the new patch, if the refer-a-friend Summon Friend cooldown will also be lowered to 30 min? This would only make sense, as Summon Friend is often used right after hearth, right?"
Nothing yet, but it wouldn't surprise me to see it changed. And it has "stealth change" written all over it.
Uncletouchy asked...
"As a mage I have some questions about trinket timings. Does a trinket affect a spell that I have already cast but is still traveling to the boss? Ex. If I go through my 6 sec pyroblast cast time then pop my trinket as it's flying to the boss will it increase the spell power on my pyroblast? Also, does it affect DOTs after they've been cast on a target?"
No, to both questions. Think of a spell as a gift you give to someone. Once you give the gift, you can't change it anymore. And DOTs are kind of like a purity ring, once you give it to someone there's no stopping Grey's Anatomy.
Farthing asked...
"When I first started playing, my favorite weapons, and more rarely armor, all had fun procs or use effects). Why do so very few quest and dungeon rewards have effects like this in Burning Crusade and Wrath content?"
Since procs are in the end a random element, they can provide rather significant balance issues while leveling and, perhaps more importantly, cause a lot of confusion for newer players as they work on the leveling process. Save the more difficult concepts for the end game.
Akhi asked...
"Why are there no Gnome or Dwarf or Tauren Undead? Does the plague only work on people of a certain size?"
Because everyone hates Gnomes, Dwarves, and Taurens.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, The Queue
Patch 5.2 interview with Dave Kosak
Inside an old alt's vault
The latest patch 5.2 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria news





Reader Comments (Page 5 of 8)
Lian Mar 12th 2009 4:35PM
Yes, Kara is definitely related to number 7, Daniel.
CallMeIrd Mar 12th 2009 4:36PM
Does having one or two non combat pets out during a raid really affect a person's FPS? Is it generally that much of a nuisance? I get not allowing every single person to have one out, but when it's just a couple?
Gorehorn Mar 12th 2009 7:05PM
The point of your question is somewhat different: Say you allow "a few" people to have non-combat pets out. How many do grant that right? How do you decide, if more than the allowed number want to have one out.
Denying something from anyone but a select few is a great way for someone to feel treated unfairly, ergo leading to drama. Banning purely cosmetic things outright puts everyone on an equal level, making it easier to achieve the social requirements of the truly multi-player parts of WoW (such as raiding).
Mohrlock Mar 13th 2009 3:16AM
@Call
Well it depends on the person's GPU/RAM, ISP, video settings & a whole heap of things.
Someone with a really, how can I put this, "low-end" (kindest I figured) computer definitely would suffer a slight frame-or-two difference in FPS.
Generally the sort of people that are saying this effects the frame rate already have all of their video settings turned to low so it's something worth suggestion.
I generally think it's fine on trash to stuff around and have your non-combats out, beat things with fishing poles & where silly vanity items but once it hits Boss Time it's all back to "serious mode" (somewhat).
I play a tank, majority of the time in the pseudo-"MT" role, and tend to do plenty of clicking of targets with my mouse. Having non-combat pets out can hinder my performance and I make the request where I see it necessary for all pets to go away.
Possibly someone is just being a bit biast, maybe they do have frame-rate issues or maybe they're just like me?!
In short: to answer your question then theoretically "yes" having non-combat pets out can & will effect SOME people's FPS :)
CallMeIrd Mar 14th 2009 1:51PM
Most people don't even care in my raid, it's just one or two, at most three of us who'd like to have our companions out. What really puzzles me is that I've been raiding since Molten Core, when there were 40 of us, and there were no rules regarding pets then. No one gave a damn. Now suddenly it's a Big Issue?
theodread Mar 12th 2009 4:37PM
Are there any plans to make the riding crop bind to account so that I can pass it on to alts after hitting 71? If there is not then there should be.
Blackhorn Mar 13th 2009 2:17PM
the fact that the crop is useless to anyone higher than level 70 and lower than what, 69(?), suggests to me that Blizzard just wants them to GO AWAY. Which kinda means no, they're not going to make them BtA.
The whole thing makes no sense anyway. Apparently they thought using trinkets to increase mount speed was too clunky of a system... so their solution was to just get rid of them entirely. Wonderful process.
How's this, Blizz? Keep an item like a riding crop in your bag and voila.. all your mounts move faster. Like ANY of the existing tradeskill tools. Or even that amulet that makes a ghost follow you around. None of it has to be equipped, you just have it in your bag.
steve.cooney Mar 13th 2009 3:40PM
I figured they could make it scale like an heirloom item. I definitely like the idea of it just working from your bags though that would solve the "clunky trinket" issue and make it useful again.
Talia Mar 12th 2009 4:42PM
I have a follow-up question to Uncletouchy's, and a correction to your answer for Farthing.
1. When do procs (such as those from +sp trinkets) effectively end, and when is a spell's damage calculated? If I start a 3-second cast when my trinket effect has 2 seconds left, is the extra spellpower applied? (I know that if I have a +haste trinket, the spell's cast time is calculated at the start - if the effect wears off, my mid-cast doesn't suddenly have time added to it. Is it the same for damage, though?)
2. You said "Save the more difficult concepts for the end game.", but that's exactly what he asked about. His question was "Why do so very few quest and dungeon rewards have effects like this in Burning Crusade and Wrath content?" He notices a lack of them in the end game, and wants more.
Avan Mar 12th 2009 4:43PM
"Since procs are in the end a random element, they can provide rather significant balance issues while leveling and, perhaps more importantly, cause a lot of confusion for newer players as they work on the leveling process. Save the more difficult concepts for the end game."
I don't think you read the question right. "Why do so very few quest and dungeon rewards have effects like this in Burning Crusade and Wrath content?""
I think they're asking why post-TBC weapons don't have these procs but pre-TBC weapons do. That is, why level 20-50 gear spits out shadow bolts and explodes the enemy in ice, but level 60-80 gear won't.
Sorro Mar 12th 2009 4:45PM
Are there any sign of epic gems in 3.1/Ulduar? For example, Cardinal Ruby is listed on Wowhead.
Arhaa Mar 12th 2009 4:51PM
I've seen the first 4 seasons of BSG, and this still spoiled it. I am upset beyond words.
KtKat Mar 12th 2009 4:52PM
Oh noes! Not a spoiler for a TV show that you are catching up on! Are you people serious? I guess I really shouldn't be that surprised that there are people reading these articles that are so immature and egocentric that they truly believe that the rest of the world should cater to them to such a ridiculous extent.
Anyone who truly believes it is irresponsible or inconsiderate for a blogger to make a pop culture reference that might contain a spoiler for someone should have their head examined, develop a more fulfilling life and get over it already. What's next, are you going to start crying because they tell you who killed Laura Palmer? Try to have a little perspective, folks.
Louisa Mar 12th 2009 5:18PM
I'm sorry? I'm being an asshole because I don't want a huge spoiler about BSG on something completely unrelated? If I had known it was going to be posted on a WoW site, I wouldn't have looked here at all. A lot of people haven't been able to catch up on the latest season and it's generally considered rude. It's not common knowledge, and it's not "pop culture" like we all know Bruce Wayne is Batman.
Arhaa Mar 12th 2009 5:47PM
It's not pop culture. It is a current series that hasn't even finished yet. I CAN'T keep up because I don't get the sci-fi channel, so I rent the DVD's when they become available. It is completely irresponsible to post something like this where people who like WoW get something completely unrelated spoiled for them. If it was a WoW spoiler, they would post "Spoiler ahead"! If I went to a BSG site would it be ok for them to post the secrets of Ulduar on their front page with no warning at all?
The fact that he is obviously a BSG fan makes this all the more reprehensible. He should feel terrible that he just hurt so many people's enjoyment of such a great show.
Arhaa Mar 12th 2009 6:00PM
I just posted on my guild forums and everywhere else I can think of warning people to stay away from this site if they haven't seen the whole show yet. Also sent emails to all my friends and family (of which I have few, it's true). I suggest you do the same if you know anyone that likes this show!
ivyleaves Mar 12th 2009 6:40PM
Actually, if you go to scifi.com after every episode airing, you could have watched them all. They still have the last 3-4 available for viewing. I've seen the entire season and I don't pay for cable or DVDs.
Mohrlock Mar 13th 2009 3:32AM
Geez come on guys... going a bit far...
Especially emailing all your friends & family.
I don't watch BSG, maybe I should but I don't, and what Adam has said above is FAR from a spoiler from anything. Wow... she may be related to the 7th cylon or something along those lines.
BIG SPOILER!
There's more QQ here than if they took stealth away from Rogues! God forbid anyone like anything in this world and not make reference to it. It appears that all of you have written regular columns before for informative websites?!
Trust me you write something on a regular basis & tell me you can conjure up all these articles without referencing a single thing that someone may not know. Hell I found out Obama was voting in as President here at WoWinsider before I saw it on the news & you don't here me complaining.
In fact it saved me wasting half an hour of my life on the news waiting for the one article I was interested in.
At the rate any of you are watching BSG by the time you get to an episode that makes ANY of these "spoilers" relevant you'll be playing the 5th expansion to WoW!
Mohrlock Mar 13th 2009 3:35AM
And before the grammar police come marching in I am quiet aware I occasionally use the wrong spelling of words. I type as I think, not think as I type.
Rofllol Mar 12th 2009 4:57PM
Darkrider arly is a gnome