Cataclysm beginner tooltips option simplifies abilities for rookies
by Fox Van Allen 
Sep 17th 2010 at 5:00PM
While most of these new tooltips have yet to be implemented, the few that have been provide a basic level of instruction aimed at new and younger players. For example, the tooltip for the druid tanking ability Growl normally reads, "Taunts the target to attack you, but has no effect if the target is already attacking you." With the beginner tooltips feature turned on, the tooltip suggests it be used to "protect friends with less health and armor than you."
Beginner tooltips frequently lack numbers and often suggest when you should use the ability; the tooltip for the holy priest ability Holy Fire tells you to "use (it) as an opener." Not sure how to DPS as a rogue? Have absolutely no idea how to play a shirtless holy paladin that was forced upon you by hundreds of faceless voters? These new tooltips will give you clues.
The beginner tooltips may also help address one of Blizzard's longer-standing problems -- convincing new players to stay with the game long enough to learn how to play it. As reported here back in February, only three in 10 trial accounts ever get past level 10.
We chose a few noteworthy beginner tooltips from a number of different classes and put them side by side with their Wrath-style versions for you in a gallery.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.Filed under: News items, WoW Rookie, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
Docp Sep 17th 2010 7:40PM
"How does one play the game and literally never look at a tooltip to see what a spell does?"
My guess would be...poorly
icepyro Sep 17th 2010 8:09PM
My guess would be... paladin.
Ice Sep 17th 2010 5:39PM
I've been waiting for these for ages. Its good for people I want to get playing. I mean that HoP is just way too long for someone not that good in english etc.
NOW we just need PvP tooltip option with proper timer things.
Aka fear would say 10 seconds rather than 20 seconds.
Aris Sep 17th 2010 5:40PM
I think this is a great idea. When we started playing together, I had to interpret a lot of things for my wife and explain why this is good or that's not good, etc. Something that breaks down the numbers and potentially confusing wording for new players to a basic idea should really help new players (and maybe a few old timers trying on a new role).
I'm looking forward to trying these out when I roll my sneaky dog in Cata.
Ice Sep 17th 2010 5:41PM
Thats awesome idea that I wanted to be in the game. Honestly if you want to give young one who might not be good at english.. well, that HoP long to HoP short is really helpful.
Now we just need PvP tooltips with changed timers. Aka fear would be 10 seconds from 20 seconds.
Zamn10210 Sep 17th 2010 5:45PM
Yeah, the SS one struck me as odd. The advantage of using slow weapons is exactly the kind of technical thing they're trying to strip out. Other tooltips leave out much more important pieces of info than that.
nonentity Sep 17th 2010 5:47PM
Ah so that's what those are. Noticed them a lil back in the beta but I thought that's just the new tooltips, not an on/off feature.
Won't use them but they may be nice for twinks when adapting to the new skill systems. Don't know the twinks quite as well as the main so those tips may actually help me figure the new talent speccs, rotations out faster.
vinipl87 Sep 17th 2010 5:50PM
This new feature is for kids.
What I'd really appreciate are enhanced (instead of simplified) tooltips, informing me if activating that ability triggers or not a global cooldown, also such things like how long my crappy CC skill lasts in a PvP enviroment and if it is subject to diminishing returns.
Tirrimas Sep 17th 2010 5:55PM
The world NEEDS more shirtless Belf Paladins. :P~~~~~
Lugo Sep 17th 2010 5:58PM
The SS thing is actually great. What most new rogue players don't know is that sinister strike is an absolute crap ability to use with daggers. (Daggers should be used with mutilate, backstab or hemo)
But rogues (pre-cata) starts out with daggers and the sinister strike ability, so most rogues never understand that SS is supposed to be used with non-daggers and stick to sinister striking with daggers.
This tooltip in conjuction with that rogues now starts with a slow weapon in the mainhand should make it easier to learn this.
Elementally Sep 17th 2010 6:02PM
Sounds good for those who are new in general. Thankfully, a Shaman doesn't have that much to worry about at lower levels.
brian Sep 17th 2010 6:02PM
Hey, I have a face around here somewhere!
I mean no, officer, I have no idea.
Darasen Sep 17th 2010 6:04PM
These are a great idea for playing with younger WoWers as well.
nekorion Sep 17th 2010 6:11PM
tell me learning what rend did wasn't a pain when you were new. I refreshed that thing when it duration wasn't even half way done.
I love the tooltips. I prefer they be on by default and you disable them when you're ready.
Also "causes the target to be very angry with you" seems more like "you will pull aggro" than something like "causes monsters to be more likely to attack you"
chris crouse Sep 17th 2010 6:58PM
less screenshots of your belf topless please, thanks
Nipah Sep 17th 2010 7:18PM
So hey... does the druid cat form tooltip say "cat uis for fite"?
If not, it damn well should.
warriorpanda Sep 17th 2010 8:03PM
I heartily recommend that all Feral tooltips use bad spelling and worse grammar.
The Ferocious Bite tooltip presents a fantastic opportunity for the return of Nom Nom Nom.
Tim Sep 17th 2010 7:19PM
I've been playing for years and like the simplified tooltips although they annoy me when I'm actually playing. Maybe I aught to turn them off until I start playing my shirtless pally in Cata.
archerofyail Sep 17th 2010 10:47PM
imo they should have a quest at lvl 15 that leads you to the earliest dungeon you can do like rage fire chasm a lot of people like me probly got bored at around lvl 20 because questing got boring quite fast
Adoisin Sep 17th 2010 9:41PM
If they want folks to stay in the game past level 10 or so, they should give a tip on how to leave trade chat as soon as you enter a city.
I know a lot of kids play, regardless of the age listed on the game. Still, is anyone else starting to get tired of Blizz treating us like we are the village idiots, or is it just me? There are sites out there that list the best rotations and which spells to use for whatever spec you happen to be. Are detailed tooltips really that necessary?