Cataclysm: Guards in starting zones buffed to level 90
by Fox Van Allen 
Nov 5th 2010 at 9:00AM
The change, which guarantees you'll be at least five levels lower than the guards, takes advantage of existing game mechanics to protect lower-level players from mischief. NPCs that are five levels higher than you are exceedingly difficult to hit (spell casters will suffer a 39 percent chance to miss) and frequently wallop you for higher-damage-causing crushing blows far more often. The guards will also have higher health pools as well. This contrasts vividly with guards on the live server, who are prone to dying if a level 80 character accidentally sneezes on them.
Level 90 guards are better suited to protecting newbie players from max-level griefers. Note that only starting areas will see these high-level guards. The guards in major cities are now level 85 -- dangerous, but soloable.
Players who are upset by this change are encouraged to stop being jerks who grief newbies.
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 (available Dec. 7, 2010), 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, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 9)
Tirrimas Nov 5th 2010 12:35PM
@Blacksheep:
Have you watched a Flight Master when he's attacked? The mounts waiting beside him become active and attack, too! I LOVE IT. I don't know if that's something that's always been there, but I love that the "taxi" allies get involved.
(I'm not asking that in a confrontational manner - more like, "Hey, have you seen this neat thing??")
I do agree that the FPs need buffing as well.
Jawn Nov 5th 2010 2:23PM
Flight Masters? heh heh....
I'd have my own brand of surprise for those....
If you kill (or participate in the kill) a FM, the next one spawns ~right~ away, and he/she be MAD!
One bird spawns for every participant, and it follows you EVERYWHERE, it finds you if you hearth, it finds you when you log back in, it never stops until you're DEAD. Oh, and it's immune to all damage. You can't enter instances while one of these is on your trail, either.
If you're fool enough to stick around, though, The re-spawned FM will cleave all enemies for a % of their health, not a fixed amount. The cleave has no CD, and hits for 75% health, and damages your gear for 100% durability.
How do you like that repair bill? Jerks should be made to pay like this. If you're not a jerk, and want to avoid this while attacking a town? No problem: leave the FM alone. It wouldn't aggro unless attacked (as i believe it works now).
Are you happy i'm not a developer? Heh heh.... yeah, i can be pretty mean.
Dreyja Nov 5th 2010 2:45PM
@ Jawn - I LIKE the way you think!
Mick M Nov 7th 2010 10:50PM
How about if you attack a flight master, one of the flying beasts picks you up and flies off with you, dropping you at a random location in another zone? Then you have to hoof it back and can't camp them.
ruggerjj Nov 5th 2010 9:06AM
This will be a welcome change.. nothing like being in a starting zone and having a single warlock wiping out all the guards and quest givers.
Though one idea I would love is that I would almost prefer an 'adaptive' guard. When killed, their replacement is a level higher and if he is killed, the next is a level higher than that...then after a set amount of time, it reverts back to the default level.
ButcheredCow Nov 5th 2010 10:41AM
Sounds good, but as an extra step, these new guards should also cause 5% durability loss with every hit. Methinks griefing newbs will take a huge backseat to other forms of "entertainment" when it costs the perp 5-50g a pop.
Comito Nov 5th 2010 1:09PM
Might be a cool idea that for more normal area's for alliance/horde, but this change will provide new players a chance to enjoy the game for what it is at the beginning instead of being harassed for the first time entering game!
Nice move blizz, lets hope not too many people take too much interest to take on the challenge to take these on as a raid group haha!
niko Nov 5th 2010 9:07AM
That last line made me chuckle.
Here, here!
Moonzcar Nov 5th 2010 9:09AM
Oh noes. I cant camp lowbies anymore. This will destroy WoW for sure.
ITS RUINED
V Magius Nov 5th 2010 10:00AM
Because nothing says "manly" like killing a bunch of newbies.
kazeko.fuuga Nov 11th 2010 6:59PM
I think he's being sarcastic, can't be sure.
Mitawa Nov 5th 2010 10:13AM
I -think- this was supposed to be sarcasm.
Sarcasm is hard get out in text. :/
Jwee Nov 5th 2010 10:14AM
gotta love sarcasm :D
Moonzcar Nov 5th 2010 10:36AM
It was sarcasm :)
Sarcasm and text seems to not function well together.
biglou Nov 5th 2010 12:07PM
Blizz REALLY needs to implement a sarcasm font =D
Ricohardt Nov 6th 2010 7:17AM
Oh, a sarcasm detector! What a GREAT invention that is!
jealouspirate Nov 5th 2010 9:11AM
Goldshire will never be the same.
SunGod228 Nov 5th 2010 9:22AM
It's OK there will still be ERP in Goldshire, so not everything will change.
carebear Nov 5th 2010 9:29AM
im pretty sure theyre not talking about goldshire since its technically not a starting zone but this change is still welcome. now they just need to buff the guards in major cities to 90 and ill be happy
jmccance Nov 5th 2010 9:59AM
This will be taken care of in 4.0.4, where ERP will generate threat with all NPCs in a 15 yard radius, regardless of faction. Other things that generate own-faction threat include incessant duel requests, begging, and "anal [x]" jokes.
(A man can dream....)