The Queue: Service with a smile

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.
Welcome back to the Queue. We offer you service with a smile.Kenmoe asked...
"Is the construction of the Argent Tournament colosseum at all dependent on realm participation like Quel'Danas was? I was wondering if the goblin dailies 'A Chip Off the Ulduar Block' and 'Jack Me Some Lumber' helped construct the building faster. If so, is there any way to see progression like there was with Quel'Danas?"
No. The coliseum will come in patch 3.2, no matter what each server does beforehand. At least, that's what we know right now. It could all change however.
Xioyn asked...
"I am in exams right now and not downloading the patch. How much fun am I missing out on?"
The only think that you're missing out on is the first few days (or weeks) of the Argent Tournament dailies. It'll just take you a bit longer to get up to earning the mounts and other rewards.
Joe Smith asked...
"How much Haste should a balance druid have? I've been told that it's important to have, but tend to sink points into spellpower whenever i can. Is that wrong?"
As Nothilt noted in his reply to you, Haste is secondary to spell power. When I've evaluated Moonkin applicants to my guild, my team and I always look at Spellpower, Haste, and Crit. In that order. However much you have is however much your gear allows you to have.
Brady asked...
"Speaking of the novels, does Blizzard consider the novels to be canon, and does Blizzard have to approve the plots of them? Also, does Blizzard incorporate the story lines of the books into the lore of WoW?"
I'm answering this to the best of my knowledge from experience and past events and articles I've read. Blizzard considers them cannon until they're overridden in the game. There have been some things, such as Hakkar (one is the boss in Zul'Gurub and one is the Houndmaster) that have been a little odd.
Regarding your second question, Blizzard does hold pretty close intellectual control over the publishing of the novels. It's pretty standard practice for novels to have to be extensively reviewed and signed off before they're published – so I'd say yes.
As for your third question, just take a look at the whole Rhonin thing.
Tom99k asked...
"Why am I so cold?"
Has the Ice Stone melted?
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 5)
Mattimus Apr 20th 2009 11:54AM
As far as the Coliseum goes, they didn't say it would be completed in patch 3.2, just a future patch. It could very well appear in patch 3.1.8 or something.
Aerie Apr 20th 2009 12:09PM
@Hark-
At one point are you reading he has an axe? I don't have the books with me, but if I recall correctly, Brox loses his weapon when he goes through the portal, eventually attaining an axe after meeting Cenarius (Cenarius and Malfuron craft said axe for him). After what occurs at the end of the trilogy with regards to the Well, the axe is taken back to the current time and then delivered by Krasus to Thrall, who presumably has given it to his brother, Saurfang (which is more than likely why his cleaves can end universes and so on).
But if he has an axe before that, it's just poor writing. ;)
rosencratz Apr 20th 2009 12:21PM
I'm currently reading the book and not far through yet but i can confirm it definately states that Brox lands with "his axe" nearby when going through the anomaly.
Now though i have to go back to see if he had a hammer previously as i've been reading it so slowly i'd not noticed. :)
tatsumasa Apr 20th 2009 12:11PM
what ever happened to the wolvar (and oracle) pets that are supposed to be in this patch? i can't find any notes about them anywhere except in the 3.1 notes saying that they simply exist.
Hoof Apr 20th 2009 12:15PM
they are part of childrens week, if i remember correctly.
tatsumasa Apr 20th 2009 1:40PM
that's one of the thoughts i also had, however there is nothing listed under the achievements for that event that would back this up.
Hoof Apr 20th 2009 2:03PM
I don't think they are a reward, I think they are the orphans you lead around Northrend, like you lead an orc/human child around Ye Olde Azeroth and a Blood Elf/Draenai Child around Outland.
Verit Apr 20th 2009 12:17PM
So when checking balance druids you don't check spell hit? I don't play a druid - but I do play an elemental shaman, and in my opinion hit is actually the most important stat over most things.
Justin Apr 20th 2009 2:21PM
I think hit is assumed in that Q&A. You make sure they are capped and then you move on to the SP,Hast, Crit stats.
Tohono Apr 20th 2009 12:26PM
What I want to know is, does Blizzard have plans to use the new faces for Rhonin, Jaina, Thrall, and Garrosh from the Ulduar Trailer to replace the ones they have in game? I liked them a lot, and quite honestly, Thrall is showing his age compared to Varian!
Iwanttobeasleep Apr 20th 2009 12:25PM
How do I get good at jousting?
Mattimus Apr 20th 2009 12:49PM
I don't bother Charging. It's awesome in theory, but I toss a Shield Break at my enemy, then ride towards them during the GCD instead of waiting to charge. On NPCs, this keeps them from charging me like they typically want, and if you're quick you keep them from Shield Breaking you, too. They're basically struggling to keep their shields up, while you're always sitting on a full stack poking away their HP.
I haven't jousted a Player yet.
Balius Apr 20th 2009 2:07PM
Every time they put up their own shield, the cooldown on their own charges and shield breaks provides you the chance to lower their armor by one level without suffering the same. Just peel off and throw a shield break their way.
Similarly, any time they break away you can throw a shield break and then follow it in to prevent repercussions. I recommend ignoring charge altogether; it just sets you up for a shield break yourself.
Ultimately, it's just a matter of keeping your own shield level higher than the enemy's.
Shinn Apr 20th 2009 6:35PM
Ah so I'm not the only one who has completely forgone the whole charge thing. Not only does charging make you fly AWAY from them it also means that you'll end up with no shields whatsoever. DON'T charge, it's useless.
And there's absolutely no need to fight other players, this is completely PvE. The only reason (that I know of so far) you duel players is to get achievements.
rosencratz Apr 21st 2009 2:20AM
Whenever the enemy rides away i charge and as you wheel around to hi them again i throw a shield breaker. This strips them of all shields and usually i never lose my third rank of the shield buff.
That's how the squire told me to do it and it works rather nicely. Does require a certain amount of coordinationwith the mouse and keyboard though.
Jay in Oregon Apr 20th 2009 12:35PM
"No. The coliseum will come in patch 3.2, no matter what each server does beforehand."
I seem to remember a blue post about the tournament that said there would be conditions where a server may not have the coliseum opened when 3.2 drops. I don't know if it would be tied specifically to the goblin dailies or not, but that seems to make the most sense; there's no way to track how many times they've been done right now, though.
Of course, plans can change and Blizzard may just decide to have the coliseum open in 3.2 regardless of any prerequisites.
rosencratz Apr 21st 2009 3:18AM
What the blues have said is that the next stage of the event is in a patch and that NOTHING contributes to it.
They have categorically stated that the goblin quests are there only for flavor and making money
Jay in Oregon Apr 21st 2009 12:28PM
Sounds reasonable.
I can't find the blue post so I may have just imagined it or misunderstood something someone else said. It's good to know that if I'm short on time I can skip those in favor of the other AT quests.
AlexW573 Apr 20th 2009 12:43PM
What is the raid portal at the end of Strat?
smiley Apr 20th 2009 12:52PM
this was a "backdoor" as many backdoors used to exist to old world insances. strat had a door to Naxx, BRD had a backdoor to MC, and UBRS had a backdoor to BWL
its esentually jus ta relic left from days of old