The Queue: Healing is super fun

Let's get right down to business today. There are a few points I get to talk about concerning healing, too, after the break.
Patrick asked:
Are tanks still going to be stacking stamina? It seems like they finally have enough.
I don't see any reason for tanks not to stack stamina right now. I know that there are a lot of tanks who prefer to stick in hit, dodge, parry, etc. ... but I think the generic build will be stamina stacking again.
Imber asked:
Is healing always going to be like this? Why is it so damn hard?
Healing can be very difficult right now. It's certainly one of the more challenging aspects to the game right now. But that's for a number of reasons.
First, we don't have the gear to let us easily heal heroics (or even normal) dungeons. This is going to be a temporary situation, though, as gear will get better as the days and months go on. We won't always have problems with healing people in even the hardest of heroics; they will eventually be as easy to heal as Wrath's were.
Second, groups need to get used to using more crowd control. It's imperative that this happen, no matter what class is tanking and no matter how good the healer is. Without CC, the group will wipe and the healer won't be able to keep up with the damage output. The first few pulls in Halls of Origination can be a total wipefest without good CC.
Third, people are going to have to get better at not standing in stuff. Poison, ice, fire, etc. ... They can't stand in it if they want to live. The damage is designed so that there's little you as a healer can do if people are going to be less than smart and stand in crap. They'll die, and it's their own fault. You need to let them go, triage the tank, and politely remind them to move out of stuff if they want a heal from you.
Finally, players are going to have to get used to not being at full health. DPSers have 100,000+ health for a reason -- to give the healers breathing room. In The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, it became the norm for a good healer to keep everyone topped off. That's not just going to happen in Cataclysm for a long time, if ever. As a healer, you've done your job if everyone is alive at the end of the pull (save as noted in the third point, above). If they're missing 25,000 health, who cares? I don't. They're still alive and can DPS better than a dead person.
Liz asked:
Does WoW have over the 12 million people playing it right now?
Probably. We know that Blizzard sold 3.3 million copies of Cataclysm within the first 24 hours, so it's a safe bet that there've been a lot of people coming back to the game who weren't playing before. As far as how many people over 12 million are playing, your guess is as good as mine. It might be around 12.5-13 million, in my opinion.
Filed under: The Queue






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 12)
frugality Dec 16th 2010 11:04AM
Any speculation on new bosses/instances coming in later patches? Did the Baradin Hold boss, curious who the other one could be. A Demonlord type boss?
loop_not_defined Dec 16th 2010 12:00PM
After discovering the entrance to Throne of the Tides, I noticed another (inactive) dungeon entrance to the left. It's down in the Abyssal Maw...future raid?
Also, there's been numerous suggestions (not subtle hints) that a Firelands raid is coming in 4.1.
daan.leijen Dec 16th 2010 12:13PM
Firelands is not suggested, it's fact. Blizz already showed a map of it, it'll be an outside raid (where we can fly i think) and then enter Sulfuron Keep (Ragnaros' palace that is currently in Mount Hyjal) to fight mr. Whirlwind BBQ. There even is a raid portal in Sulfuron Keep already, but there's a gate in front of it.
Twill Dec 16th 2010 12:16PM
Queue: How do you get a PICTURE for your profile in the comments?
HHUK Dec 16th 2010 12:26PM
I believe Abyssal Maw was a cut 5 man that they may put in at a later date.
Avan Dec 16th 2010 12:51PM
Deathwing, obviously.
Maybe Queen Azshara?
We'll probably be dealing with yet another Old God, too.
Pizzaman4500 Dec 16th 2010 1:29PM
I don't know if you deal with her in later quests, but the Thousand Needles quests end with players freeing Magatha Grimtotem and giving her the Epic Stone of Epic Power, then leaving her alone. I'll bet she ends up as a boss somewhere.
Spazmoose Dec 16th 2010 4:17PM
I believe that most of the known planned instances should be included here:
http://www.wowpedia.org/Cataclysm_instances_by_level
Drob10 Dec 16th 2010 5:12PM
@twill
Not sure why you're getting rated down, but I think the answer is magic...or have a hookup at joysiq.
Rakah Dec 16th 2010 6:39PM
you can edit your pic over at massively. profiles are bugged on this site.
Suzaku Dec 17th 2010 12:55PM
No Queen Azshara, it was already confirmed that she wouldn't be a boss in Cataclysm. They're just working her into the plot so people get a feel for her when she inevitably shows up as the main villain of her own expansion.
Vorenos Dec 17th 2010 1:15AM
i am praying to the gods for a new troll raid. I was hoping for one in Zul'Drak in WotLK, but alas it never happened. I don't know how it would fit in to the story of Cata (maybe a CoT raid for the Troll Wars?) but i want one!
Lokanaya Dec 16th 2010 11:05AM
Question for the Queue: When will Ask a Faction Leader be coming back, if ever?
Josin Dec 16th 2010 11:28AM
Faction Leaders are busy people. How often can they spare time for silly questions?
Also, I think that aside from possibly Gallywix, we've seen them all at this point?
Task Dec 16th 2010 11:33AM
@Lokanaya
My guess, maybe in the new year considering there are lot of new "Leaders" and "Liasons" in each area.
* This is only my theory and could be dismissed without notice
Grovinofdarkhour Dec 16th 2010 11:33AM
Gallywix is no "leader."
lady.silverdragon Dec 16th 2010 11:38AM
I know he's a busy guy, but it would be great to get an interview with the former faction leader Thrall. If he's too busy, maybe someone else from the Earthen Ring could chime in. Also, I'd love to hear from one of the Wildhammer leaders, Moira, or even Deathwing if the interviewer can get the story without being killed for impudence.
Josin Dec 16th 2010 12:38PM
True. Hadn't considered the new factions, like Ramkahen or Therazane. Wonder if Therazane could even answer, or if she'd be talking with her mouth full...?
(God, I'm going to get SO downvoted for that comment.)
Dragundam Dec 16th 2010 1:36PM
WoWInsider's twitter asked people what leaders they should talk about a few days ago. It'll probably come back soon.
icepyro Dec 16th 2010 4:26PM
Just to point out, they have said that they are accepting questions all the time and as they get enough to do another AAFL, they would. It seems about time imo, but still. More questions mean more chances of them doing more articles. I personally want a new Sylvanas one, but I can't think of any questions that are not just full of things involving new content that I'm not sure if they want to discuss yet.