The Queue: Late night with WoW.com
by Adam Holisky 
Dec 7th 2009 at 10:00PM
You're getting The Queue late tonight since all the WoW.com writers are up late. We're sitting around the virtual campfire working on the last bits of our patch 3.3 content for tomorrow. We're going to be publishing a few great guides to the strategies and resources you'll need for both the 5-man dungeons and 10/25-man raids. We're also putting the finishing touches on a look at the lore in patch 3.3 -- it's taken a while to get together, but it's going to be a great piece when it's all done.
So, while you're waiting for the patch notes to drop this evening (or morning), sit back and read some Queue. It's full of yummy goodness.
Wmepe asked...
"How many badges can I get in chaining random heroics for six hours?"
It's going to depend on several factors, including which heroics you draw and how successful your groups are. However, we can still look at this question by taking some averages and extrapolating out. Let's assume the following:
- On average, each heroic takes 45 minutes to run
- On average, each heroic drops 4 badges from boss kills
- You get two additional badges for doing a random heroic
In a six hour time you'll be able to run 8 heroics, dropping approximately 32 badges. You'll get an additional 16 badges (Frost/Triumph) from the random dungeon factor. That means you can earn approximately 48 badges for chain running heroics for six hours.
Tier 9 (item level 232) gloves and shoulders cost 30 badges, while the legs, helm, and chest each cost 50 badges. That's a total of 210 badges you'll need to collect to get a full set of iLevel 232 Tier 9 gear. If you run heroics for six hours a day, it will take about 4.5 days to collect a full tier 9 set.
If you find your pugs only take on average 30 minutes to do a heroic, you can then complete 12 heroics, giving you approximately 72 badges a day. It would then only take you just under three days to collect a full tier 9 iLevel 232 set.
If you have a pro group with good skills, you can do any heroic in about 20 minutes. If you chain random heroics for about six hours, you should be able to get in 18 heroics, which is 108 badges a day. It will take you just under 12 hours to gear up your toon in a full Tier 9 iLevel 232 set.
Maca asked...
"This gating sucks. How long are we going to have to wait to defeat the Lich King?"
I won't get into the whole gating argument here. That's for another time and place. However, don't expect the Lich King to be available until sometime after February 2010. There are four "wings" of Icecrown Citadel that'll open up, with "a few weeks" in-between each wing. Counting out from Tuesday, December 8th as the start date, with three weeks inbetween each opening:
- The second wing could open December 29th.
- The third wing could open January 19th.
- The fourth wing could open February 9th.
You can read more about the Icecrown Citadel Raid Access Progression.
Beop asked..
"What are you going to be doing during the patching downtime?"
Since we should have all the content for the day pre-written and ready to go, I'll be sitting around my computer monitoring the site and finding new evil things to do with Alex and Sacco. I'll probably also go and play a little Aion if I don't have Star Trek Online beta access by then (hey, I can hope, right?).
That's all for The Queue tonight. Stay tuned throughout the evening and Tuesday for the latest. Bound to be some fun for everyone!
On a personal note, congrats to Daradog! He's the real winner. ;-)
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW.com 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!Filed under: Patches, Odds and ends, The Queue
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Kondin Dec 7th 2009 10:06PM
Whats the deal with the hostile blue dragons in winterspring? They predate Malygos's crusade so I'm curious about the lore behind them.
Hoggersbud Dec 7th 2009 10:24PM
Foreshadowing?
I dunno, that's my guess.
Spikeles Dec 7th 2009 11:05PM
Step 1. Go here: http://www.wowwiki.com/Winterspring
Step 2. Read it, particularly this bit:
"This otherwise cold and serene place shakes with periodic conflict between the forces of the sorcerer-dragon Cobaltann and the night elves who strive to drive them from the slopes of Mount Hyjal."
Then follow the link to here http://www.wowwiki.com/General_Colbatann which talks about the General. Then maybe even follow the link to here: http://www.wowwiki.com/Mazthoril where you will read this:
"The blue dragons here are primarily on watch for activity from the black dragonflight...to this end, the blue dragonflight organizes an army here...to protect the world from the increasing threat of the black dragons"
Dboy Dec 7th 2009 11:39PM
There are quests associated with these guys - I remember trying to do some of them when getting Loremaster.
A more interesting question is what is the deal with these Emerald Dream portals like Dream Bough in Feralas? Hope they elaborate on these in Cataclysm... very cool.
Cephas Dec 7th 2009 11:17PM
@Spikeles
That doesn't really explain why they're hostile to players. I mean, we both want to defeat the Black Dragonflight, and those of us on the Horde aren't doing anything to antagonize them, so what gives?
Alchemistmerlin Dec 7th 2009 11:59PM
@Cephas
It's a military base, high security, you can't just walk in.
Spikeles Dec 8th 2009 3:40AM
@Cephas
http://www.wowwiki.com/Blue_dragon
"Blue dragons are peaceful creatures, but very territorial. Once a blue dragon has claimed a certain territory, woe to any — even dragons of their own flight - who enter into that area without permission."
"A blue dragon does not hesitate to attack if his territory is disturbed or invaded and is somewhat xenophobic."
Of course, you could say that about most dragons. The ones in Northrend are only nice because they are fighting against a common enemy and need all the allys they can get.
Crimson Dec 8th 2009 2:45AM
@ Dboy
The 4 portals guarded by the world pve nightmare dragons are supposed to lead into emerald dream. Maybe in cataclysm we will see those bosses updated to 85, with improved loot and actually dropping the keys to the portal or something. The dragons spawn at different times and have nearly identical powers except for some unique spell that they use.
Quote wowwiki: "The Dragons of Nightmare (a.k.a. the Emerald Dragons and the Four Dragons) are Lethon, Emeriss, Ysondre and Taerar. These dragons are world spawns located in Duskwood (Twilight Grove), the Hinterlands (Seradane), Feralas (Dream Bough), and Ashenvale (Bough Shadow). "
You can read more in depth about them here
http://www.wowwiki.com/Dragons_of_Nightmare
Eternauta Dec 8th 2009 9:55AM
I thnk that the Emerald Dream will be a completely new expansion, IMO.
..."What are you going to be doing during the patching downtime?"...
Playing Warcraft III :) and reading this blog.
Thundrcrackr Dec 8th 2009 10:27AM
@Crimson
Any idea how many 80s it takes to kill one of these now?
I remember trying to kill the one in Feralas with a small group of 70s in BC but we wiped cuz no one knew the fight and then everyone quit.
Gamer am I Dec 7th 2009 10:09PM
Question about the level of gear required for the new 5-mans in patch 3.3: because the new 5-mans drop gear of the same ilevel as Ulduar 10/25-man on normal/heroic mode (respectively), does that mean that, going by today's standards, once I am geared up enough for Ulduar 25, I'll be geared up enough for the heroic versions of those new 5-mans, and the same for Ulduar 10 and normal versions? If not, what level of gear is needed for the new 5-mans?
Mike Dec 7th 2009 10:24PM
Heroics are meant to be one of the tiers of progression, alongside 10-man raids and 25-man raids. Blizzard wouldn't expect people to be decked out in full tier 8 from Ulduar to handle new 5-mans. My guess, if you can do Trial of the Champion without much difficulty, then you'll be set for The Frozen Halls.
curtisrutland Dec 8th 2009 9:12AM
If I recall correctly, the new 5 man heroics drop 232 gear, which is ToC 10 equivalent. Also, it drops 219 gear on regular, which is Ulduar 10 equiv.
Khrono Dec 7th 2009 10:10PM
Why is it that my Paladin can wield a two handed and one handed sword, but for some reason he's so retarded he can't hold a dagger? Is there some lore out there that tells the tale of a Knight of the Silver Hand that insulted the dagger gods, so now we can't use daggers?
Cause there are some nicely itemized casting daggers out there I wouldn't mind getting my hand on.
Gruuek Dec 7th 2009 10:19PM
He would be too clumsy to wield a dagger. Probably would have no idea how to hit someone with it either.
Khrono Dec 7th 2009 10:22PM
http://www.darklegacycomics.com/217.html
"You hold it like this, and stick the sharp part into them" What else is there to know?
Kylenne Dec 7th 2009 10:45PM
On a purely practical level, fighting with a dagger is almost entirely different from fighting with even a one handed sword. Doing so in plate would also be incredibly awkward, as plate doesn't allow for the kind of mobility that a good knife fight requires.
But from a lore standpoint, daggers are small, sneaky weapons that are beneath paladins.
Ruth Dec 7th 2009 10:52PM
While we're at it, why can't warriors use wands? They are the only 'weapon' in game that a warrior can't use. And why can't mages and warlocks use maces and priests can? And priests can't use swords but mages can? And why can't rogues use any two handed weapons, and durids dual-wield, and hunters use maces, and shaman use swords, and death knights use shields? And why are some classes restricted in the armour types they can wear?
The main reason is flavour [otherwise known as "lore"].
Mithraeus Dec 7th 2009 11:54PM
Flavor? Lore? Lies. It's game mechanics. Simple fact is, Paladins can't use the weapons they can't use because Blizzard doesn't WANT them to. It's not justified by lore or anything of the sort, it's justified by game design.
Mithraeus Dec 7th 2009 11:55PM
But don't ask me what that game design is :P Maybe it makes itemization easier?