The Queue: I still ...
by Adam Holisky 
Aug 31st 2010 at 11:00AM
How could we not use this image?
Bui asked:
"I am considering starting a new toon on an RP server and giving that a shot. My question to you is, how easy do you think it is starting on a server with zero support? I know people do it all the time, but do they stick with those new toons or do they go back? I mean, I'm not cutting my mains out of the picture or any such thing, I just wanted to know how much easier/difficult it is starting over."
It's a challenge, but it can also be very rewarding. Think of it like you're starting the game anew with no expectations and no help from your mains, no gold to buy big bags, and even something "simple" like a 12-slot bag dropping is a big deal. That's what it's like.
I've tried it a couple times and I've not succeeded, once back in vanilla and once in Wrath. Both times I've gotten the alt to around level 40 and said, "Awww, fsck it," and transferred over a max-level alt with lots of goodies on it.
But if you have the stamina and drive for it, you'll be able to pull it off. I'm sure it'll be very rewarding.
Titusx asked:
"Why is it that makes ret paladins so easy get OP? I just saw a blue post stating that they had to tone down ret in the beta servers because they where out-DPSing everyone. That got me to wonder why is it that this damned spec is so prone to becoming uncontrollable. I have a paladin alt that was ret up to like level 33 then switched to prot and haven't played much of it in months. So my knowledge of the spec is fairly limited. Can anyone tell me why is this Naaru-forsaken spec is so inclined to become a boombastic, one-shotting, forum-crying piece of spec?"
I think the problem with triple-spec-worthy classes -- namely the paladins and druids (three distinct roles) -- is that each spec needs to excel at what it does, yet overall, the class cannot be pigeonholed into performing just one set of actions. A prot paladin needs to have access to holy spells, just like a ret paladin does. This leads to a very delicate and sensitive balancing act where a change that's needed for holy paladins could make ret paladins suddenly become overpowerful, and then that change to correct the ret paladin imbalance leads to prot becoming too weak, and so the house of cards tumbles.
Ghostcrawler's team has done a great job at balancing these difficult-to-manage classes. We really don't see any faceroll specs any more. Ret used to be more OP than anything in the game, and now it's not. In the beta, things are still being worked out, and obviously what's there today won't be there tomorrow ... So there's really no need to get all bent out of shape over beta class balance.
Synergy asked:
"How much health does one point of stamina give you?"
One point of stamina gives you 1 health for the first 20 points of stamina and then 10 health every point thereafter.
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
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 9)
Rorymitch Aug 31st 2010 11:04AM
Just wondering if Holy paladin gear is still in the beta or are Holydins gonna share gear with the dps plate wearers and convert the extra STR and AP to INT/SPR. it always seemed a bit strange to me to have only one spec in the entire game using that healing plate gear anyways.
BoB Aug 31st 2010 11:08AM
I think they addressed this in a recent Dev twitter chat saying something like "We know it's awkward to have only one class/spec combo that uses spell power plate, but all the options to fix this are worse than simply living with it." Kinda rough, but hey least they're honest.
Rorymitch Aug 31st 2010 11:14AM
I could see a way around it. Personally I would add a talent to the holy line that converted the STR in to INT, not a million miles away from the shaman Mental Dexterity Talent. although maybe my idea is flawed and i have overlooked the obvious.
Schadenfreude Aug 31st 2010 11:23AM
I personally think that holy paladins should just use spellpower mail in PVE (and still get that armor mastery bonus or whatever). This would solve the spellpower plate thing handily and not much would really change. My holy pally friend would still be taking all my gear ;) and many paladins use the spellpower mail (or cloth!) pieces anyway because the stats are better so it's not like it will suddenly ruin anyone's artistic vision of their character.
I guess this might have an effect on PVP (full disclosure: I hate PVP and don't care about it) in that it will lower paladins' overall armor mitigation, but since PVP armor is nearly exclusively crafted or bought it would be possible to leave in spellpower plate in that venue since the problem of spellpower plate (i.e. it drops and one person can use it) is not an issue.
Al in SoCal Aug 31st 2010 11:46AM
@Schadenfreude
*ONLY* if they increased the availability of SP mail loot in the game.
Kunikenwad! Aug 31st 2010 11:50AM
@Schadenfreude
Because that's exactly what I need ... Paladins stealing what little spellpower mail that drops away from my elemental shaman. What they really need is gear with morphing stats; the ability to change from attack power to spellpower when you change your spec. Of course, that trivializes gear completely, so it's not a valid solution, but hey. What can ya do. Or get rid of mail/plate/leather/cloth armor classifications entirely.
Narayana Aug 31st 2010 11:52AM
The problem with Strength >> Intellect conversion is that no conversion talents end up removing the base state. So, with the talent, the Paladin wouldn’t turn 100 Str into 100 Int- s/he would turn 100 Str into 100 Str + 100 Int. Since all paladin DPS abilities are driven by strength, a Holy Paladin could potentially become a do-it-all spec in PvP and even a preferable off-healer in PvE.
Even if they get around this problem, Paladins would still be able to have one set of gear for multiple specs. You may be tempted to say that this already happens with Shadow and Discipline/Holy priests. However, there’s usually a trade-off here. A Shadow Priest may tolerate some Spirit, for example, when using a healing piece, but there’s always a better piece of gear out there that is itemized for DPS. By removing SP plate, though, this kind of trade-off wouldn’t be good enough.
A Holy Paladin would need to have access to BIS gear for his/her Holy spec. Since there is no alternative, this piece must also be attractive to Ret, DPS warriors and DKs. So, we’d end up with a Paladin with healer-level healing abilities who retains some ability to DPS. Good luck trying to kill that.
Bapo Aug 31st 2010 1:17PM
From what I've seen so far, providing it hasn't changed, is that you can change around the non stat orientated stuff. Mainly Crit, Expertise, Haste, etc. the Thermaturge(sp?) doesn't let you change stam, int, str, etc.
Idk if it'll let you change stuff in the future, or where you'll need a profession to change it, but that's what I've seen so far.
Preying Aug 31st 2010 1:20PM
Brains Over Brawn. 3 point talent deep in Holy. You receive intellect equal to 33/66/100% of your strength, but your offensive attacks and spells do 35/50/65% reduced damage.
This would let holy offspecs use their ret gear to heal without allowing them to do competitive damage in it. They would still be able to use full intellect cloaks, necklaces, rings, trinkets, weapons, librams, and shields. And perhaps even the holy pally tier gear could be the classic spellpower (int) plate. But... if a main spec ret didn't have the gear to heal and wanted to fill in a gap in the raid as a healer, he could more easily be able to.
AutumnBringer Aug 31st 2010 1:34PM
@Preying
Sounds good at first, but ...
Then you'll have Holy Paladins rolling on melee DPS and caster armor, cloaks, rings, necklaces, trinkets.
Or ... the melee DPS pieces would still be gimped for healing due to lack of other healing relevant stats and it would be very far behind where it should be, so they healers wouldn't really want it anyway unless you wanted a Ret Pally with a Holy spec healing you in Ret gear, but not sure that would happen terribly often.
Gruff Aug 31st 2010 5:22PM
One easy solution would be to allow Blacksmiths to easily and cheaply convert spellpower mail into plate (and yes, make more spell power mail drop).
cidninja Aug 31st 2010 6:01PM
i think it'd be nice if ret paladins were made to wear spell plate.
Shifthappenz Aug 31st 2010 6:22PM
the reason that retribution paladins are currently so OP on the beta is because of a bug with retribution aura where it causes you to do a LOT more damage than usual, leading to a lot of griefing on the PvP servers
freyal Aug 31st 2010 6:32PM
I wish they would make it so that pallys could ONLY wear Plate, Shamans ONLY wear Mail, Druids only leather, and Priests ONLY cloth.
As a priest I get right sick of 4 other healers, AND caster dps dipping into my gear. Where as if spell power plate drops .. the pally either gets it, or it gets disenchanted.
It's bad enough that priests are already sort of good at everything, but not as strong as the other healers in specific roles, as penalty for us having so many toys. Yes disc can tank heal, yes holy can raid heal. But Pallys are always stronger on tank heals and druids/shamans are always better at raid heals.
QQ more I guess. Nothing to be done for it.
Natsumi Aug 31st 2010 11:15PM
My solution is make all paladin specs use Spell Power plate. Ret's Damage is mostly Holy (spell type) damage anyway and isn't mitigated by armor (which is why it gets OP quickly, because nothing in game has Holy Resistance). This allows all that useless SP Plate to be semi useful (There are at least 2 Paladins in my guild with FULL 251 Holy gear that don't even know how to heal). Or, the rest of us could just sigh and DE that crap and wonder why we just fought a boss that doesn't drop anything but shards.
SP plate is used in 1 of 30 specs yet has about 1/8th of most boss loot tables (If a boss has 8 loots he can drop, 1 is bound to be SP Plate).
Crimson Sep 1st 2010 1:25AM
Well hopefully next expansion we would get Runemasters who wear spell plate and use runes and runic power to heal and cast spells. Then Holydins would have someone to share their gear with :)
Zelius Sep 1st 2010 11:20AM
Speaking of runes, I was actually hoping at least one of the Death Knight specs would use spellpower plate, back when they were announced.
It would fit Unholy pretty well, I think (even in name). Unfortunately, I doubt it's possible to make this kind of conversion now. At least not without taking a ton of time and resources better spent elsewhere.
AltairAntares Aug 31st 2010 11:14AM
You guys talk about how easy it is to view the stuff in game files using mpq file viewers, where exactly do you get those tools?
Matt Aug 31st 2010 11:19AM
http://www.google.com/search?q=mpq+reader
:)
Caveat: ALWAYS scan downloaded programs with an antivirus scanner.
Mike Aug 31st 2010 11:20AM
Anyone know of an MPQ viewer for Mac?