The Queue: Hey Sacco, can you do today's The Queue edition
by Michael Sacco 
May 22nd 2009 at 7:30PM
Playing the role of Adam Zibbert tonight will be the Michael Sacco. There will be a brief intermission between acts.
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Adam Zibbert will be your host today.
You know the drill! LET'S GET US SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
Bearkub asked...
My main is a lvl 80 paladin (holy/prot), gold is not an issue, and I have everything I could want off the Wintergrasp PVP vendor/npc. My alt is a level 70 hunter (hilarity ensues). Is it worth it to spend 200 stonekeeper's shards to buy the +10% XP bonus shoulders? Or would those shards be better spent on something I can sell for gold (the non-bound pvp meta-gems, for example)? Is there something to spend the shards on that I'm unaware of? I imagine they're worth it on a lvl 58 DK alt, but I'm not sure what the "cost/benefit" cut-off is.
Heirloom items are pretty great, in my experience, especially the shoulders. With 3.1, they also grant 10% extra quest experience on top of mob XP, which is a lot -- especially given that most of your XP earned while going from 70-80 is going to be quest XP. It, essentially, takes a flat 10% off of your leveling time, sometimes more. And, when you're done with it, you can send it to another alt, even if they can't wear that specific armor type, because the item will automatically become the highest possible armor type for that specific character.
I'd say it's worth the purchase, but it's a personal choice. Just remember you can get gold back at any time, but leveling time isn't something you can recoup.
Aneng asked...
Why can't Horde grind rep for the Wintersabre Trainers? I'm not QQing about the one more mount for Alliance, but wondering if there is some lore involved, or Blizzard just hasn't been bothered to add a replacement for the raptor trainers in Un'Goro?
There were some quests on the 3.1 PTR that indicated that you'd be able to learn how to ride Venomhide Ravasaurs, but Zarhym said that there was no mount going in with 3.1. He did say, however, that they have plans to add an equivalent mount to the Wintersabers for Horde players.
Ayiano asked...
Is there any way to zoom in with the Dressing Room or otherwise manipulate it besides rotating? I'm on an RP server (Wyrmrest Accord) and occasionally peruse the Auction House for some RP gear. The built-in Dressing Room is kind of limiting for anything smaller than robes (such as bracelets, shoes, or tiaras). As it stands right now, I find myself alt-tabbing between WoW & Wowhead, using their 3D feature. While it's a pretty neat app, its still a little bit of a hassle to alt-tab each time. Plus, in-game I would be able to see how it looks on my character's model. Is there some hidden feature that allows me to zoom or freely rotate? If not, are there any addons that provide the same or similar functionality?
The addon CloseUp allows you to do just that! Any other suggestions for Ayiano, readers?
Misha asked...
Why the big push for Twitter?? Yes, I signed up & even added myself to WowInsider after listening to The Show, but haven't found anything worth following. Sure there's the lure of loot, but I don't have time to constantly monitor. At least WowInsider has articles & guides that give insight and/or help my game play--which I can read at my convenience. So what's the big deal about Twittering?
Twitter can be a very powerful social networking tool, as well as a way to grab breaking news and just keep connected with people you like. What it is for our readers is an optional tool to ask us questions, interact with us, participate in contests, or see Big News when it happens. If none of those interest you, of course, then you can just keep an eye on the main site. Twitter, though, is THE NEXT DIMENSION of WoW.com. THE FUTURE. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 1955 AND 1985.
That does it for today's edition of The Queue. Namaste!
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!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
SaintStryfe May 22nd 2009 7:41PM
"And, when you're done with it, you can send it to another alt, even if they can't wear that specific armor type, because the item will automatically become the highest possible armor type for that specific character."
Is that blimp accurate?! I've got the badges saved to buy a pair, but I've been questioning if I should, because I'm leveling a DK, and a mage, and a warrior. I've been considering just buying cloth and letting the Warrior and DK deal with off-spec shoulders, but if this is right, that would be great. Any confirmation?
Slorbo May 22nd 2009 7:45PM
What is means is that what shows as plate to a lvl 80 will be whatever the highest armor type the low level character can use at the time. Same w/ mail. Buying the cloth ones will not magically give your warrior/paladin/DK plate.
d503 May 22nd 2009 7:47PM
But swapping the cloth ones in as you turn in quests will probably net you the bonus XP, provided you're too lazy to just grind up the Shards or Emblems for the Plate ones...
GnomesScareMe May 22nd 2009 8:06PM
Gonna have to call shennanigans on that. I've got a pair of cloth shoulders on a leather wearer and they are still cloth, sent a pair of plate shoulders to a priest and they are still plate.
tanek May 22nd 2009 8:30PM
From what I understood, the changing of an heirloom item from one armor type to another really only applied to classes that can upgrade armor at a certain level. Meaning, if you purchase mail shoulders and send them to your level 20 Shaman, they will equip as leather until the shaman levels up enough to wear mail, at which point they will equip as mail.
I think. :)
Grubba May 22nd 2009 9:40PM
tanek is right. The only shoulder armor class changes are the mail shoulders that will convert to leather for low-level toons and the plate shoulders that will convert to mail for low-level toons. Once those toons hit level 40, they convert back to their original types of mail and plate respectively.
Desworks May 23rd 2009 1:29AM
If you're planning to get a pair of BoA Shoulders, and want the maximum use from them, then why not follow my BoA top tip:
Get the Stained Shadowcraft Spaulders (http://www.wowhead.com/?item=42952).
Why?
Simple. Because they can be used by the most amount of classes to some degree of usefulness while providing their XP benefit. Rogues and Feral druids is what they were designed for, but DPS Warriors, Ret Paladins, Hunters, Enhancement Shammies and Death Knights will all fine their stats useful while levelling. Pick up an Exquisite Sunderseer Mantle for WG shards as well, and you have 2 pairs of shoulders that will serve every alt you make.
artifex May 23rd 2009 5:10AM
So glad I read the replies before investing.
johnthediver May 22nd 2009 7:42PM
Why do I still have to confirm my comments even after creating an account on WoW.com? Doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose of creating an account?
d503 May 22nd 2009 7:46PM
Are you clicking "Returning" or leaving it on "New Readers" above the comment box?
JustinScott May 23rd 2009 8:25AM
Ive been commenting on this site for a while, and i always have to confirm my comments. pretty annoying =/
and yes, i put it on returning user :)
Kemikalkadet May 23rd 2009 9:20AM
Did you use the password you get sent on your confirmation e-mail? i havn't had to confirm a comment for well over a year.
Matazuma May 22nd 2009 7:49PM
I love that you chose that picture XD
z3rb May 22nd 2009 7:50PM
Question:
Back in TBC I raided up to BT as a warlock, so I know how to DPS relatively well and am fairly confident in it. Now, though, I'm rolling a druid with the aim as being a tank in Wrath raids. I'm level 60 now, and have 0 experience tanking thus far. Obviously, I'm a bit reluctant to jump straight into tanking in a raid at 80, so what would be the best way to practice without embarising myself too much? Trying to tank for 5mans a few levels below me? Trying to solo 5mans 10 levels below me? Thanks.
Eisengel May 23rd 2009 3:07AM
I did this myself, and toward the end of BC my Druid was hitting 70. One thing I'd advise is to level tanky Feral, and to use the AoE capabilities of Feral for grinding/leveling. That will get you used to dealing with stacks of mobs at once. Try to solo a few of the small group quests in Zangarmarsh, there you should need to use defense cooldowns while keeping your damage up. If you can solo the Naga at one to two levels above him, you should be good. That one is kinda tough because you have to clear mobs, watch for pats, carefully pull him, position yourself to deal with his knockbacks, while also keeping up your DPS (your main method of aggro as a tank), plus, for his level, he hits pretty friggin hard, so you'll get used to working your defensive CDs. You can also try tanking the shard giants in Hellfire solo. They hit pretty hard, and the shardlings that split off can wear you down fast.
One you get up near 70 and have some decent tank gear I'd really recommend running a few Outland instances. Maybe once you hit 71 or 72 and have some Northy quest gear run heroic Ramparts. It isn't a tough run, but it is a pretty good place for a tank workout; you have lots of pats, mobs that stun, spellcasters, annoying los pulls, and the final fight gives you practice turning a boss while not standing in fire. Once you want to test your tankin chops, try heroic Shattered Halls. I'd lay good money that heroic Halls will be a tougher run than heroic UK or Nexus, even though your level and gear ilvl are higher than anyone had in BC.
Eisengel May 23rd 2009 3:14AM
By the way, the Naga quest I was thinking of was:
http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=9817
.. where you have to kill Rajis Fyashe
SaintStryfe May 22nd 2009 7:53PM
Slorbo: but if I buy plate, and then send them to my mage, they will appear to her as cloth?
Airleagan May 23rd 2009 10:13AM
No it only works like that if say ur a shammy and u buy the mail sholders, if u mail them to the shammy they will appear to u as leather till u turn 40 and then they will be mail, but if u mail the plate sholders to a rouge, they will stay as plate
Meg May 25th 2009 12:08AM
Why would you put dishes in your makeup?
Slorbo May 22nd 2009 7:56PM
Nope. See http://www.wowwiki.com/Heirloom for more info.