The Queue: Zul'Again
by Michael Sacco 
Mar 5th 2011 at 12:00PM
Lots of troll questions today, and I mean that literally. Questions about troll stuff. Getcher troll answers here! Free troll answers! Pledge your troll and get a free Zul'Jin tote bag!
Oldboy asked:
Since ZG/ZA will be "heroic-only", is there any word on whether it will be possible to intentionally queue for them more than once in a day? It almost sounds like they'll be on a separate heroic "tier", so it's not clear whether they'll be in the same pool when choosing random.
Queueing restrictions are the same for ZA and ZG as they are for any other heroic dungeon. You can queue for them once a day, or run them multiple times via the random option for Cataclysm heroic tier 2.
Yvl asked:
So, I'm assuming that although the next tier is being delayed, Blizzard would still be ready to release the next tier with patch 4.1. I'm wondering, what does this mean for the devs? Are they gonna take this time to make Tier 12 that much more awesome, get a head start on 4.3 and/or Tier 13, or what?
It's safe to assume that all of the above are happening. Releasing Firelands with 4.2 means that Blizzard doesn't need to rush the raid for 4.1 just to give non-raiders something to do, and it also means that in the event some more work is needed to make the raid better, it has the time to do so. I'm sure planning and art assets for tier 13 are already well under way, too. That's just how these things work.
Split asked:
Can someone on the PTR or who knows for certain elaborate a bit on just how reused this content is? They say new boss mechanics, updated loot, and chance for mounts, but what about the trash pulls and bosses in ZA? Loot is really just the old loot with higher ilvl and epic? Tons of people are complaining about having to redo ZA and ZG, so I want to set the record straight for exactly what aspects of the instances are reused and which are new.
We don't know much about loot, but WoW Insider staffers have run through both dungeons and checked the differences between the new and old versions. Check out the Zul'Gurub writeup here and the Zul'Aman writeup here.
Ice asked:
Since raid content will be pushed to 4.2 will there be any change to make Zul'aman level 20 instance (Sort of part of ghostlands story like DM is with westfall) and Zul'gurub level 30 instance (end of STV quest chain where you get the cliffhanger)? It would also give more variety to 20-30 instances since they are mostly SM to Razorfen that are soo outdated in terms of mechanics its not funny.
Blizzard hasn't indicated that normal modes of these dungeons becoming available, whether low-level or max-level. There will be new level 85 quest lines to lead up to the heroics, though, including one that follows up on your lil' buddy Ohgan'aka.
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider 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!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Kojaq Mar 5th 2011 12:08PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJACFMc-Rb4
Twill Mar 6th 2011 5:24AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6CcxJQq1x8&feature=player_embedded
If you like cats, or don't like cats, or enjoy having thumbs, or feel threatened by cats with thumbs, this is the video for you.
ziis Mar 5th 2011 12:09PM
question for the queue what is a good time to start tanking and what class would be the best to start tanking with
Cambro Mar 5th 2011 12:30PM
If you're 85 and have a character that you're thinking about playing his tank spec with, I would start with normal level 85 dungeons. Actually, you might tank Northrend dungeons for friends; it will be an easier way for you to get your feet wet without being too difficult.
If you're about to roll a character you want to tank with, start tanking right away. You'll get instant queues and you'll have a great head start on how to tank.
Actually...before you tank anything, read up on tanking concepts, and techniques for the class you choose. There is no difference between the various tank classes that would make one "the best", otherwise Blizzard would just do away with the other three altogether. Each class has advantages: paladins can bubble themselves and heal in a pinch, can multi-target pull, long range stun, and AoE tank with consecrate, but are highly vulnerable to silences; warriors are probably the most mobile, have a long range silence, lots of short range stuns/interrupts/silences but have limited self healing, can AoE tank well with Rend and Thunder Clap, and only their shouts and Thunder Clap are vulnerable to silences; death knights are better than warriors at self healing, can AoE tank with Death and Decay and Blood Boil, but their diseases (probably, I'm not sure) are susceptible to magic resistance and silences, and since they don't use shields they need high parry; druids have very high dodge and health because they wear leather and don't use a shield, can rejuvenate themselves, but are the weakest for AoE tanking.
I'm sure other readers will correct me on those and other fine points (I have limited knowledge of DK and druid tanking), but the main point is that each class has its strengths and weaknesses, but all four classes are perfectly capable of tanking. It's moreso the skill of the player in holding threat and self-preservation that determines how good that tank is.
Saeadame Mar 5th 2011 12:46PM
If you are rolling a new character, I would suggest not starting with a druid for tanking. I'm leveling one through the DF as a tank right now and it is kind of difficult. Mine's level 57, and I still have pretty much only one ability that gives AoE threat, and it's on a 6 sec CD. If you want a fairly easy first tanking character, I'd suggest paladin. On trash pulls, particularly at low level, you will have virtually unshakable threat, so you can concentrate on developing other tanking skills like watching for pats, positioning, health cooldowns, etc.
vocenoctum Mar 5th 2011 12:47PM
I have previously leveled as a prot-warrior and got into tanking during BC. When I had a bunch of Ulduar agility gear, my boomkin respec'd into bear and I began tanking during wrath as bear.
For my newly minted Prot-Pali, I leveled as Prot but didn't do any dungeons until Wrath. I knew every dungeon inside and out and so I could hit my comfort zone with tanking them. Being in all heirlooms and being a paladin, I had no problems and it was nice practice. I'm now 73 and think I've gotten most of my key-bashing figured out.
So, really I think the best answer is "it depends on your comfort level". Try to find dungeons you've done before that you know well. The more people in your group that you know, the more comfortable you are. (When a friend in late wrath wanted to get back into tanking, she was worried about the "go go go!" mentality. So I took a healer and another friend took a dps. No worries about someone trying to kick her. :)
Aceman67 Mar 5th 2011 1:36PM
DK tanking is relatively easy, since their basic rotation is the same as DPS, and you have a instant ability to gain a lot of threat quickly with Rune strike, but you get it at lv67, so Threat management in BC dungeon 58-66 will be moderately difficult compared to the other tanking classes.
Other then that, its simple, just put your Diseases on your target with Icy Touch and Plague Strike (use outbreak after lv81), hit pestilence to spread them around on multi-target pulls, use blood boil on multi-target pulls, use Death and Decay on Multi-target pulls, use rune-strike when you dodge or parry (keep this key-bound to a button you can hit easily on reflex, I use the ~ tilde key so i can tap it with my pinky), make sure you have scarlet fever spec'd, as it will reduce incoming physical damage from all targets afflicted with blood plague, and when you're not all that, just follow this rotation: Icy Touch, plague strike, heart strike heart strike, death strike (keep Rune tap macro'd so you can get easy death runes to use death strike in panic situations).
Foulrot Mar 5th 2011 2:05PM
"use rune-strike when you dodge or parry "
If your spec'd blood you use RS when ever you have enough RP, you no longer have to wait for a dodge or parry.
Nawaf Mar 5th 2011 2:12PM
@Aceman67
"Other then that, its simple, just put your Diseases on your target with Icy Touch and Plague Strike (use outbreak after lv81), hit pestilence to spread them around on multi-target pulls, use blood boil on multi-target pulls, use Death and Decay on Multi-target pulls, use rune-strike when you dodge or parry (keep this key-bound to a button you can hit easily on reflex, I use the ~ tilde key so i can tap it with my pinky)"
You haven't played DK tank since Wrath did you?
First of all rune strike in blood presence doesn't require dodge or parry.
I wouldn't recommend using diseases. It wastes time and doesn't really bring that much benefit with only heart strike and blood boil effected by diseases. I would recommend just starting in putting a Death and Decay and then starting with your strikes (blood boils, heart strikes, rune strikes, and death strikes), unless you wana cast outbreak on a single target (won't waste a lot of time).
It's actually pretty easy.
Foulrot Mar 5th 2011 2:32PM
"I wouldn't recommend using diseases. It wastes time and doesn't really bring that much benefit"
Not true. If your tanking in a raid environment and your not keeping up blood plague, your taking 10% more dmg then you should be. Outbreak to start a fight and use PS when it drops off. IT is more to you liking but the 20% reduction in attack speed can be a life saver on certain fights. Pre 4.0.6 diseaseless was most definitely the way to go but now our diseases are very integral to our survival.
Xaklo Mar 5th 2011 4:03PM
I don't think there are many mobs that are resistant to DK diseases. I haven't gotten mine high level enough to say for sure, but I can tell you that on multiple occasions, my spriest's Devouring Plague comes up as immune on mechanical enemies (Deadmines) but I see full DK diseases on the very same enemies.
Strangiato Mar 8th 2011 1:01PM
I started tanking in the LFD at 15 and levelled exclusively that way to about 65 on 3 toons. A bear, a prot warrior and a pally. I have to say that tanking on these three are NOT equal. I'm doing prot pally now and it is EASY mode. There's 4 multi-mob attacks I can use. Bear tanking sucked with the cool down on swipe it was alot of tab targetting. Warrior tanking was ok, but still harder than pally tanking. Granted I haven't made it end game yet where maybe it changes. With all the douches in the LFD, I like playing a tank where it's easy to hold multi-mob threat. As bear I was chain feared in Sethhek Halls and got booted for being a bad tank. As a pally I get compliments on how good of a tank I am :)
Another huge tip, which makes my tanking even easier - Tidy Plates - Threat Plates addon. I consider it a must have, but again I like things easy.
rufwork Mar 8th 2011 8:45AM
@Saeadame --
Balance for leveling, bear for tanking. Wake up the tank once you dual spec.
radda Mar 5th 2011 12:13PM
Q for the Queue:
What're the chances that Blizzard will actually make some sort of LFG tool report system where I can report on how awful people act in instances? I'm trying to level a tank and it's next to impossible because of impatient DPS and trolls (and not the "'ey mon I 'it da wrong button" kind).
It'd be nice if I could report people for being douchebags, basically.
Necromann Mar 5th 2011 12:35PM
People could abuse the system. Say a tank an 3 dps queue together. Thy could say the healer sucked even though they stood in the crap. If there are any negative consequences, then the above could happen.
Ringo Flinthammer Mar 5th 2011 12:44PM
Put them on /ignore. They'll never be grouped with you again that way and making a DPS's random dungeon queue longer is far worse than anything Blizzard can do to them.
radda Mar 5th 2011 12:47PM
It could be abused if they let it be abused.
I was thinking of something like a rating system: at the end of a run you can grade each member of your group. If somebody hates you for no reason and gives you a low score it shouldn't be much of a problem if others give you good scores. Then when you queue you can set a minimum grade that you want to group with.
Yeah, it'd make queue times longer, but that way people will learn not to be dicks. It's not like you have absolutely nothing to do while you wait anyway, especially while leveling.
Lipstick Mar 5th 2011 1:11PM
Unfortunately, talented though the dev's at Blizzard are they have yet to find a way to change human nature. Adding a rating system would only hurt good players in the end, not the bad ones. At least if the popular perception that there are more bad players than good ones holds true.
LFG is just like going to the airport, or a bus station. You see the best and worse dredges of society thrown together. Add long wait times, delays, and bad vending machine food with gross bathrooms to the mix and it's a volatile cocktail. Only in blizzard's case it's people who stand in stuff, forgot to repair before they enter the instance, long que times for dps, and people with language so foul you wonder if they even graduated from middle school.
Rating systems are a bad idea, they'd just be abused. The only true fix is for people to relax their expectations a bit, be a little nicer to everyone they meet, and accept the bad runs with the good ones. The LFG concept is more or less the same as it has always been, blizzard simply made it easier to use. I use to spend 2 hours spaming trade for a tank, or a dps with the proper CC for a group in BC. Even after all that work, the group could still fall apart before the first boss if the guys in it were tools.
People were just better about grinning and baring it in those days, cause they had no other options.
Blizzard does their best to police people on their forums and via GM ticket when there is harassment on the same realm. Even that taxes their resource.
Jehosaphat Mar 5th 2011 2:01PM
I think a system that only paired you with people you rated well (and vice versa) would work out, as long as there was some sort of extension. That is, person A and person B rate each other well, person B and person C rate each other well, so A and C could be matched up even if B wasn't online. That way, the impatient folks get queued with other impatient folks, etc.
The main issue would be the initial seeding, but I see no reason why it would have ot be an immediate switch
Eldoron Mar 5th 2011 3:57PM
"It could be abused if they let it be abused."
Oh lol, if the problems of the world could be solved so easily... So there's privacy because people are let to do it? Or hunger in the world? Or murder? There's no system that can't be abused.