The Queue: Oh no, not again
by Alex Ziebart 
Dec 31st 2009 at 6:00PM
This is The Queue that doesn't end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friend. Some people started writing it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue writing it forever just because this is The Queue that doesn't end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friend. Some people started writing it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue writing it forever just because this is The Queue that doesn't end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friend. Some people started writing it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue writing it forever just because this is The Queue that doesn't end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friend. Some people started writing it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue writing it forever just because this is The Queue that doesn't end.*
dpoyesac asked...
"Every time I kill his son I forget to ask High Overlord Saurfang when the doors to the next wing will be down. Soon?"
It should be soon, but we don't really know for sure. Our collective gut says it will open this upcoming Tuesday, but Muradin and Saurfang still say 28 days until it opens. It hasn't changed since Day 1. Blizzard will just flip the switch whenever they please, we figure.
mcdingo asked...
"I recently did the epic druid flight form quest. Spoiler alert, it revolved a lot around the emerald dream. Turns out the raven lord was causing problems. At the end of the quest I killed him. Does that mean I fixed the emerald dream? Is there no possibility of the emerald expansion because of a class only quest that fixed the whole problem?"
Just because the raven lord was causing problems in the Emerald Dream does not mean the raven lord was the only one causing problems in the Emerald Dream. You just dealt with that particular issue. We really don't have any clear idea of what's going on in the Dream beyond the fact that it's bad, and it's screwing with the Green Dragonflight.
Of course, that being said, Malfurion is making his comeback to our realm in Cataclysm. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't just throw their arms up in the air and say, "Okay, the Emerald Dream is fixed now!" So I'm pretty sure Malfurion is just under the impression that what's happening on Azeroth takes precedence, leaving Ysera and Cenarius to deal with the Nightmare themselves. I'm sure you can guess where that's going for them.
Darksky asked...
"I remember reading in one of the loading screen "tips" something to the effect that "while players can make critical strikes, enemy mobs cannot." Again, over-exposed photographic memory film may be playing a huge part in my confusion, but... did I seriously misread it, or is the tip wrong? Maybe it only meant spell crits or special attack crits or something like that... don't know. Just hoping somebody else remembers that tip a bit more accurately and can de-confuse me."
Yeah, you're just misremembering the tip slightly. Mobs cannot crit with spells, but they can crit with any physical strikes. For example, a skeleton punching you in the face will land a crit now and then if you don't have the proper defense rating. A skeleton casting fireballs at you will never, ever crit, even if you're butt naked. That is, until they run out of mana and run up to you to start the whole face punching thing.
uncaringbear asked...
"Is T10 going to be the final tier of armour before Cataclysm? If there will be no more tier gear, how likely is it that we'll see any new armour at ilevels higher than we can currently get in ICC?Is T10 going to be the final tier of armour before Cataclysm? If there will be no more tier gear, how likely is it that we'll see any new armour at ilevels higher than we can currently get in ICC?"
I think it's too early to predict what absolutely will happen, but as far as we know, Blizzard's plan is to end with Tier 10. Not only have they pretty clearly said Icecrown will be the last major raid zone in Wrath of the Lich King, but we've seen some pretty nasty gear inflation due to the developers already needing to sneak in an extra tier of gear for how they handled hard modes. I'm pretty sure that if we were handed some Tier 11 before the end of the expansion, Azeroth would explode.
They have mentioned that we might get one or two one-shot raid bosses to herald the incoming Cataclysm just to keep us busy, similar to things like Onyxia, Gruul and Malygos. If we do get something like that, I personally expect the epics we get there will be aimed towards leveling in Cataclysm rather than elevating us to even higher ilevels.
Niennee asked...
"When did the portal area in TB (with the priest/mage/inscription trainers) become mountable? It always annoyed me that I had to run out of the cave to mount up, yet the other day I went through the portal in Dalaran on my mount and was pleasantly surprised to see myself not get dismounted on the other side. Is this some stealth change or did I just miss the announcement?"
Whoa, whoa, whoa. I think a better question is why does the Horde get to mount up by the portals in Dalaran? As a primarily Alliance player, I call BS!
Okay, not really. In all seriousness, I have no idea when this happened.
*Yes, it goes on and on, my friend. Some people started writing it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue writing it forever just because this is The Queue that doesn't end...
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: The Queue, Analysis / Opinion
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Kilcin Dec 31st 2009 6:06PM
I have a few merely speculative questions since they are in regards to the next expansion which is still being fleshed out; just some questions that have plagued me while reading about the upcoming changes.
Will shamans ever get a flight form? What do you think would be the best way to represent a flying shaman (i.e. Spirit Owl, character’s arms spread while air elementals hold you aloft)?
With the changes to stats and how hunters will work (focus) in the next expansion, what will happen to enhancement/hunter eq? Will it become the new healing plate, something only one class and spec can use that will be decried by everyone?
Will we see a greater representation of the Earthen Ring in Azeroth after the Cataclysm hits, since the majority of the NPCs are currently in the Outlands? Will we be able to gain reputation with them and get nifty titles such as “of the Spirits/Elements”, or “, Protector of the Elements”?
Were the monkeys on the Lost Isle tamable by Goblin hunters in the demo, or were they simply critters? (Dreams of a pirate Goblin hunter with a monkey pet and parrot passive pet).
toxicityj Dec 31st 2009 6:10PM
The goblin pirate idea...would be so much fun to implement!
Austin Dec 31st 2009 6:12PM
I don't know, but I think Shamans should get Spirit Bear form to be able to tank.
Omacron Dec 31st 2009 6:13PM
The reason druids got flight form is mostly because, well, there was precedent for flight form from the RTS. The two forms druids could turn into, back then, were birds and bears. There's no precedent for shaman getting a flight form, so why would you think they need one?
I also read that Blizz would rework mail to still be attractive to both hunters and shammies.
And finally, no goblin player could reach level 10 during Blizzcon, so there was no way to know if tame beast was possible, though the monkeys were indeed labeled as beats (I'd know, I played the goblin zone twice).
Sorro Dec 31st 2009 6:32PM
Flying shaman. Haha, yeah, I can see it now. For a shaman to fly, they throw down their totem and start to fly. Then, whammo, they get out of range of the totem and crash to the ground. Then they have to throw down another totem. Call it a Leapfrog totem. ;)
leigh Dec 31st 2009 6:34PM
If you can train them I'm SO getting one on my hunter and re-naming it Dora. And getting the Explorer achievement.
Drakkenfyre Dec 31st 2009 6:52PM
"Flying shaman. Haha, yeah, I can see it now."
You never did this quest, did you?
http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=9554
At the end of it, you fly.
Kilcin Dec 31st 2009 7:37PM
@Omacon Yes, I remember the Druids of the Claw and Talon, which were actually different schools of druids with abilities Blizz combined for WoW druids. Shamans interact with the elements, so why can't they work with them to fly? Like Drakkenfyre pointed out, Air elementals are capable of granting flight. The reason I brought it up was because I thought the idea of a shaman in a superman pose being help up by little air elementals was amusing. Also, it wouldn't be surprising if they added the ability since they are opening up where people can fly in the expansion.
@Sorro Awesome! Would the totem look like a slingshot? :D
PvtDeth Dec 31st 2009 7:38PM
They're going back to the WC3 model of "primary stats." Each class will either be focused on Int, Agi, or Str and no gear will have more than one of those stats.
Enhancement shaman are pretty much the only spec that actually benefits from both SP and AP; they've said often that stuff like this will be taken care of with talents. Expect Int conversion or similar mechanics by way of talents.
JKWood Dec 31st 2009 7:53PM
Dear EVERYONE EVER:
PLEASE stop asking the Queue about an expansion they're not designing. If they had the information you are looking for, it would be in another post, not in the Queue. The Queue cannot see the future.
Thanks,
JK
PvtDeth Dec 31st 2009 8:20PM
Regarding the "Flying Shaman," you're making an argument on logic, your responders are citing precedent. There's no reason they couldn't make shaman fly, it just doesn't fit with the historical model. There are flying druids lorewise, no flying anything else.
Who knows, we might see it but I doubt it.
drakolord Dec 31st 2009 8:42PM
I think the monkeys on Lost Isles were counted as humanoid. The intelligent ones at least
Gemini Dec 31st 2009 8:56PM
Enhancement shamans will also no longer need intellect. They'll get talents to aid with mana regen. So hunters and enhance shamans will still use the same gear.
Kilcin Dec 31st 2009 10:29PM
@JKWood As I mentioned, these questions are merely speculative and actually meant to be for my fellow readers here since there are no true forums at wow.com for me to start a thread on this for. I for one am enjoying the responses from other readers. By posting questions here I am not forcing the writers of the Queue to answer them. Enjoy them for what they are.
@PvtDeth What precedent was there for the Draenei? For Tauren Paladins, Gnome Priests? Blizz changes the historical model as they see fit to make the changes they want to implement. As to only druids flying, what about Medivh? He was no druid and yet could turn into a bird. Also, if you visit Silvermoon, by the throne room you would see Mages transforming a person into various animals.
PvtDeth Jan 1st 2010 1:19AM
As I said, they could do it, they just probably won't. Druids have flight form in WoW because some druids had flight form in WC3. Shaman could get a flight form similar to ghost wolf, but priests could get some sort of greater levitation, mages could get get a teleportation based flight, engineers could get instant cast rocket packs.
Any of it would fit in the game, it's just that none of them is likely. The point is that Cataclysm is, in every possible way, the biggest change to ever happen to this game. Nothing is completely off the table and I think there are many surprises left for us.
Hoggersbud Jan 1st 2010 9:54AM
Don't forget, Warriors could learn to spin really really really fast when they do a whirlwind!
Aaron Dec 31st 2009 6:08PM
It goes on and on my friends
Oteo Dec 31st 2009 6:12PM
LAMBCHOP!!
ben Dec 31st 2009 6:22PM
LAMBCHOP ROX MY SOX!!!
Kelsey Dec 31st 2009 7:22PM
I love Lambchop.