Around Azeroth: Icy blue heart
by Elizabeth Wachowski 
Jul 29th 2009 at 10:00AM
While questing in Coldarra, mage Sichas of Dentarg has forgotten the first rule of video games: ice monsters require fire magic to destroy them, and vice versa. And for some reason, water enemies are weak to lightning, which bears no resemblance to real life. I have yet to see flood waters be harmed by a downed power line. The people in the flood waters, on the other hand ...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Badger Jul 29th 2009 10:28AM
"And for some reason, water enemies are weak to lightning, which bears no resemblance to real life. I have yet to see flood waters be harmed by a downed power line. The people in the flood waters, on the other hand ..."
That never occurred to me until you pointed it out. WTF is the deal with that, anyway?
Baldagrim Jul 29th 2009 10:34AM
Water enemies are weak to lightning to an actual natural process known as Electrolysis. If you run an electric current(in this case, a lightning bolt) through a body of water (i.e. a water elemental), it separates the hydrogen and oxygen of the water into their elements.
People need to stay awake in chemistry class.
As for Naga, fish, etc., The ocean becomes a lightning field. Cooked calamari, anyone?
Agerath Jul 29th 2009 10:36AM
Sea water isn't alive, though, is it?
Were the water shaped into a sentient being, I can see electricity doing a fair bit of damage.
Wither Jul 29th 2009 11:05AM
Been a long time since I did any chemistry, but this doesn't sound right at all.
Electrolysis only occurs when there is a chemical reaction between the electrolyte and electrode, when lighting strikes, there is no electrode, no electrolysis.
The damage from lightning is often from heat, generated when the current has to pass through resistance. If there is little resistance, or it is spread out over a large body, such as in a large body of water, the heat generated is pretty small.
I think there are a few dangers to creatures swimming, The first is that in a very large body of water, swimmers may be the highest object on the surface and so your head is a likely target for a strike. Secondly, in saline waters your body may actually be more conductive than the water, so carry most of the current. Thirdly, the electrical shock to your brain or heart didn't kill you outright, you might be knocked unconscious and drown.
Um, yes, so back to Azeroth. Maybe water elementals have a susceptibility to lightning because the current channels through to their vital organs more efficiently. /shrug
Wither Jul 29th 2009 12:22PM
Oh I'm wrong :(, electrolysis doesn't need a reactive electrode. Baldagrim was right, it would occur at the point wherever current leaves on enters the body of water. Back to my chemistry books for me!
cremean Jul 29th 2009 12:38PM
I have yet to see flood waters be harmed by a downed power line. The people in the flood waters, on the other hand ...
So deliciously morbid....
pietrex Jul 29th 2009 10:45AM
One word: Pokémon.
Hedwinkle Jul 29th 2009 11:01AM
/agree
the pokémon elements should be obeyed at all times!
anubisbattlelord Jul 29th 2009 11:01AM
Pokemon? What about final fantasy or dragon warrior. I swear you kids get off my lawn
macster Jul 29th 2009 11:16AM
I think it's fair to say the physical laws don't apply in a world where 1) You can shoot fire underwater, 2) Shoot ice underwater, and 3) Be hurt by a ball of "shadow".
drendiloon Jul 29th 2009 11:45AM
You may not see it, but electricity actually separates water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen.
Also, ma-a-a-agic!!
Fuseitana Jul 29th 2009 12:24PM
And fire mages are pretty helpless on the volcano in Un'Goro.
Sichas Jul 29th 2009 1:36PM
Yay my picture got up on here :) And I totally have to agree with the Poke'mon comments...it makes no sense that you can kill water elementals with fire.
Badger Jul 29th 2009 2:39PM
Wow, I didn't expect that generate any real, substantive discussion. Damn.
@ Baldagrim: Heh, I'm old, but I'm not THAT old. I knew about electrolysis. My issue was that I wasn't thinking of a "water enemy," a mob actually composed of water (e.g. an Elemental), as being the same thing as a *separate* creature standing *within* the same body of water. It does make sense, though. On a related note: Would the electrical energy coursing through the mob maybe accelerate any dissipation of built-up energy, perhaps in the form of steam?
Badger Jul 29th 2009 2:40PM
God damn it, this Comment system sucks.
Sichas Jul 29th 2009 8:10PM
So, again, this one is mine, and people on my realm keep sending me messages telling me it really sucks and I should kill myself. First thing to understand about Dentarg: there are A LOT of jerks, ninjas, and trade trolls. However, the sheer number of people that have told me it's a bad screenshot has me wondering: is it? Do you guys like it?
I liked it a lot just cuz it seems like there is a lot of energy going on with the casting, and I think the overall theme of cold and blue make it a pretty intense screenshot.
Azvolrien Jul 30th 2009 9:16AM
I think it's a decent screenshot. The colour scheme and composition both look good to me. I don't usually use the 'they're just jealous' card, but it seems likely in this situation. That, or your server is infested with trolls. The bad kind, not the cool kind with tusks and mohawks.