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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Non-utilized utility items
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Apr 4th 2009 at 8:00AM
So among my full to bursting bags on all of my characters, one thing the high level ones pretty much all have is the Skyguard Drape (or the caster equivalent thereof). Even my Death Knight has enough skyguard reputation to have one. I figure if I ever I have some need to fall from a great height, I can just strap it on real quick and jump, and it will always be there just in case the opportune moment arrives.
But here's the problem: I have never needed to use it. Not even once.
Yeah, I mean, in theory, it's useful. But in practice, not so much. In Northrend and Outland, I don't really need a right click slow fall to jump from high places, I can just fly my mount down. If I accidentally fall off my mount or a high place for some reason, the cape has to get through usual 30 second "I just equipped this" cooldown, so even if I equipped it right away, I'd be a pancake before I could use it. In theory, it would be useful if I equipped it ahead of time while flying, but all of my flight capable characters have epic flight and can easily outfly or otherwise dodge anything that's a real threat, so chances are I wouldn't need in that case either.
Plus, it's sort of ugly. So that's another minus.
What about you? Is there an item in your bags that you keep because it really might be useful one day? Has it ever proven you right, or does it sit there waiting for just the right time to be whipped out?
Filed under: Items, Analysis / Opinion, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 5)
Dreadmor Apr 4th 2009 2:39PM
I still have 2 of these:
Moist Towelette
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=5951
Jason Apr 4th 2009 2:43PM
Lunar Festival moonstones.
-.-
Suspi Apr 4th 2009 2:47PM
Every single paladin who played in Vanilla has http://www.wowhead.com/?item=20620 in their bank. None of us has the heart to use it ;_;
Dunedain Apr 4th 2009 4:21PM
Yup, still have mine in the bank. I don't even remember the quest it comes from but can't bring myself to use it. Almost 5 years and counting.
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=20620
MechaKingGhidra Apr 4th 2009 3:45PM
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=13508
I just get this nagging feeling that someday I'm going to have to go into a really deep, maze-like series of tunnels one day where I could easily get ambushed and I want to find out the safest route.
However, as a Holy Paladin, I can typically take almost anything solo as long as I am smart about it. Takes forever, though. =P
Aibhilough Apr 4th 2009 4:57PM
Hydrocane, http://www.wowhead.com/?item=9452. I used it all the time when I was mining. However, I found it very useful whenever I need to do those underwater quests that didn't give anything to breathe with.
In addition my skill with staves got better.
Draelan Apr 4th 2009 4:05PM
I've got so many mostly useless items on various toons, it's crazy. I'm such a packrat.
I'm never without my Mirren's Drinking Hat on my main, and at least half a stack of each of the beers it provides. Afterall, what's the point of using the hat and only having 1 drink? If you're going to drink, you may as well get completely hammered. ;)
I've been casually collecting various transformation items on my druid. Right now I've got Dartol's Rod of Transformation, Black Whelp Orb, Noggenfogger Elixir, and plenty of Pygmy Oil. Oh! I've also intentionally stopped doing the Drakuru quests in Zul'Drak just so I can keep the necklace and become a ghoul in that zone whenever I like. Just wait until I go back at 80 and start collecting some of the other transformation items, hehe. Orb of the Sin'dorai, Orb of Deception, Time-Lost Figurine, Iron Boot Flask, Frenzyheart Brew, the worg disguise from that quest chain in Howling Fjord.... So many possibilities.
Dave Apr 4th 2009 4:10PM
One caveat about the Skyguard Drape: It has a 30-minute cooldown, which is pretty silly. Until recently, the tooltip in the Skyguard vendor's screen didn't even list the CD, so you didn't know about it until after you'd bought it.
Seriously, Blizzard needs to remove the CD on it. At least make it on a par with the engineering cloak.
Sol Apr 4th 2009 4:27PM
lol i love slow fall capes and chants for 3 reasons
1) half the people in my guild have a chopper, so they give each other rides around dalaran sometimes jumping out of it and de mounting mid air ...pop ur cloak and the passenger falls to his doom wilst you are unscratched.
2) rocket boots+slow fall cape alow you to get to QUITE a few places you wouldn't normally be able to
3) when there is a flaged hordie on his flying mount above you
go to your interface and malke sure the demount when skills cast is working, then fly right next to him attack him sometimes kill him, (im a rogue so killing spree +fan of knives on the way down does decent damage if hes at half or below hes dead)
then bow pop ur parachute cloak and u take no damage at all, did it hundreds of times on the ptr outside uldar with all the flagged hordies
also helps to bring a friend or to with a cloak ...or a pally who can hit em pretty hard then just bubble before hitting the ground
Josin Apr 4th 2009 9:45PM
There are few things so handy as an on-demand slowfall. Once you get used to using it regularly, you wonder how you went without.
It adds a tremendous thrill to quests like finding Brann Bronzebeard at the bottom of Engine of the Makers if you freefall, just waiting to pull the cord before you get to the bottom.
I use mind all the time. Its especially great if you get accidentally unseated from your mount by any sort of lag problems.
Zuckerdachs Apr 4th 2009 9:50PM
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=32863
I will never be able to use this, but I keep it in my bank and occasionally wear it around Dalaran simply because Skyshatter was such a royal pain in the ass to defeat. He took me an entire day to take down.
Angus Apr 5th 2009 2:10AM
I hear ya.
Tried it with a paladin with crusader aura for hours.
Then got on my wife's druid with her quest trinket (was a riding crop at the time) and did it on the first attempt thanks to shapeshifting...
Jesmond81 Apr 5th 2009 6:17AM
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=4388
All my characters have at least a stack of these. They used to be awesome, back when they dismounted. Still useful, though, even though I never seem to use them.
Kemikalkadet Apr 5th 2009 8:53AM
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=20402
" Keep your badge in your pack at all times."
I've kept to its word since i got it. I mean.. what if i suddenly find myself in silithus again and need to grind them bugs? If i didnt have the badge i'd be screwed.
Elfbane Apr 24th 2009 8:28AM
No http://www.wowhead.com/?item=2820 ? Am I really the only one who kept it?
I will use it one day, I swear!
Chickamauga Apr 6th 2009 8:44AM
I used the Slowfall Cape every time we went to Karazhan. I'd take the western road down through Deadwind and jump off the cliff, then pop that thing. I also liked using it inside the library.
Lucyinthesky Apr 6th 2009 11:19AM
Mastercraft Kalu'ak Fishing Pole After all the grinding of Kalu'ak rep, I realized after a couple of weeks that I was carrying a pole that was inferior to the Alpha and the Omega of Fishing Poles and I never actually gave a crap about breathing underwater. Now that 3.1 is buffing the Arcanite with an additional +5 fishing it's an even easier decision.
The last time I actually needed to spend enough time underwater to use one of my Nagrand Cherries, (which is what I use instead of the Mastercraft,) was way back in 2.4 when I was farming the Big Iron Fishing Pole out of the traps in Desolace. Obviously, getting water breathing for that purpose is the very definition of a moot point.
Shakerag Apr 6th 2009 11:25AM
No one's mentioned http://www.wowhead.com/?item=1933 yet?
When clearing out some instances the other day for the old world achievements, I happened to see that as I was clearing out my packs.
As a warlock, I'm getting a bit of a chuckle out of everyone mentioning water breathing items.
Kyte Midnight Apr 6th 2009 1:04PM
I keep the Light of Elune on my rogue at all times. Every raid I've ever been to, I know that I've got Elune on my side, if I really needed her...after I pop evasion twice and cheat death, and the boss would have to be rather important, as well...
Hasn't come up yet...
Gadinka Lightbringer Apr 9th 2009 9:04AM
I still keep Snowfall Lager.
I needed it when I still used Macaroon which tends to refuse to activate possession bar exactly when you need it most (like killing the Drake for Sons of Hodir daily). In that case, I did "Leave Vehicle", timed the fall and used the Snowfall Lager when I was very close to the ground.
I use Dominos now and it is rock-solid, so I guess Snowfall Lagers are just a waste of ten precious Relics of Ulduar when you get to complete the quest for The Frostborn.