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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsThe Queue: Lodur, Herald of the Elements
by Michael Sacco 
Sep 25th 2011 at 12:00PM
Looks like our good friend Joe Perez has finally made it big, if this card from the preview event for the WoW TCG Throne of the Tides expansion has anything to say about it. Congratulations, Joe. Seriously, you even got Jonboy Meyers as your artist.
Lastgaurdian asked:
Has WoWinsider ever considered reaching out to role-play servers a bit? I find that Know Your Lore and All The World's a Stage is quite helpful for knowledge, but I feel that some communities and guilds therein could use a lot of help and WoWinsider is a strong enough force to do that.
Well, roleplaying is the task of the roleplayer, and our RP column is pretty much all we can do to "reach out" to roleplayers. AtWaS covers a lot of ground; I don't really feel like it's lacking for much in terms of content. The rest is up to you.
FireMaster asked:
Do you think there's any indication that Rexxar will have a major role in the future or do you think his story is over?
There's been no indication of anything regarding Rexxar at all lately, much less that his story is over.
Quaza asked:
Why does every column start with a picture or banner of some sort?
So there's some visual differentiation in between articles when viewing our blog roll.
Ylinae asked:
Do you think there's any chance, what with transmogrification allowing greater visual customization, that druids will see an option to reclaim their old, permanent tree form?
If you mean "will Blizzard let me be a treant permanently," then no, I don't think that'll happen. The glyph that lets you be the old, ugly treant for as long as Tree of Life Form is active is probably as close as you're going to get.
MusedMoose asked:
Do you think BioWare's announcement that SW: TOR will be released on December 20th will have any effect on when we see patch 4.3?
I think 4.3 will be released when it's done; I'm not really sure that Blizzard can afford to hold out until December, even in the face of SWTOR. I think we're looking at a November-something-th release date -- not before BlizzCon, not during BlizzCon, but shortly after.
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!
Filed under: The Queue
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 9)
icepyro Sep 25th 2011 2:50PM
I guess the preference comes down to the following question:
Did you roll a tree or a druid?
All the other specs go by what their shapeshifted form (kitty, bear, boomkin) is, but now the healers are druids... Ironic, yet fitting.
SamLowry Sep 25th 2011 3:20PM
I rolled a druid who looks so godawful goofy in humanoid form that I was relieved he could shift into another form so I wouldn't be reminded of his true looks.
Now I feel cheated.
HappyTreeDance Sep 25th 2011 3:22PM
I thought I was going to miss my tree form. I don't. When it comes down to it, while I thought it was funny running around looking like a treant, and I adored the tree animations, what I really love about druid healing is....druid healing. I love HoTs, I love mobility, I love the feel of the spec. I've tried all of the other healers. They don't fit as well for me, even if I like looking at the blood elf or goblin model better than I do looking at a tauren.
I love being a druid. And I can do that without being a tree. :)
Heather Sep 25th 2011 3:41PM
I miss it.
I miss it terribly. :(
fallemwarrior Sep 25th 2011 3:48PM
at least let us wear is as a costume...
us leafies need to feel our foliage again
trefpoid Sep 25th 2011 4:04PM
I always thought Tree of Life was kinda weird. I mean, we came from W3 were druids didn't have said form, so I thought I was strange that they had to shapeshift into a Treant to be able to heal, I always felt that it was the most natural thing for druids to be healers without having to shapeshift into anything. Like the Malfurion throwing Tranquility and the Bear Druids having Rejuvenation. I like the new model, 'cause now it feels like they are powerful healers without having to transform and when things get ugly, they change into the pinnacle of healing powers, they turn into the very essence of nature and gain twice as much awesomeness for a brief moment. Maybe it's really taxing for druids to become Treants and can't do it 24/7, who knows?. So I think it's fantastic, it feels much more fun and I like it.
Hoofio Sep 25th 2011 4:06PM
One vote for caster ..
When I started swiftmend was the top talent.
I actually don't pop tree unless I absolutely have to.
/though I do have the treant minor glyph .. That shaggy ancient thing is awful.
Bellajtok Sep 25th 2011 10:12PM
Well, first I will confess that as a Cata baby, I never experienced permanent tree form, but I rolled boomkin as my offspec, so I have an idea, I suppose. This was recently talked about in a druid column, so I'm going to cheat and copy-paste my previous thoughts.
I continue to promote the "shift up" system, where the big cooldown for every spec is a shapeshift to a more powerful version of your current form. This brings back permanent tree form, and has the current one as our "Ancient of Life" as opposed to "Tree of Life". Or whatever. Meanwhile, return Dire forms with the same purpose for Cats and Bears. As for moonkins... maybe something a little different revolving around the eclipse system. I don't know. I love my moonkin, but I think a "sunkin" is a bad idea. Equally a "dire moonkin"- after all, these shouldn't be too similar to each other.
I'm rambling now, but I think my point is- if we want to make shapeshifting the signature druid mechanic, let's go all the way with it. Let's make it constant, yet powerful. And for the love of the Titans, take it off the GCD. Nothing is less fun than dismounting for immediate combat, then having to waste a cast to shift.
To the above previous thoughts, I would now add that it also ought to be optional, yet epic, so people want to be shapeshifted but don't have to be, yet can still receive the benefits of being shifted. "Channel the animal spirits", I guess. Although that sounds kind of shaman-ish.
Oh, and someone pointed out that having shifting off the GCD would be overpowered in PvP, but I think that would be easily solved by an ICD on the removal of snares as a result of shifting. Like 5 seconds or something.
Maz Sep 26th 2011 1:43AM
Yeah I played a resto druid before the tree form was introduced and I prefer not being forced to play as a tree. I also feel the same way about moonkin form as it didn't exist when I started playing, I can only hope it'll go the way of tree of life as well someday. I would like to say though that for those that prefer these forms, it SHOULD be an option. All they would need to do is make the bonuses from these forms be baseline for the spec and make the forms non essential, and everyone wins.
Guapa Sep 26th 2011 9:06AM
I rolled a nelf druid that was supposed to become a bear but levelled as a cat, then turned out to be a tree with walking impediment and later on transformed into a fat owl with not +hit gear. Life just never turns out the way you planned...
Btw, would you still want permanent tree form back if it included the speed reduction?
Rob Sep 26th 2011 9:59AM
I rolled a tree, not a NE. Like others i havent really played my druid since they took away tree form. I may roll a priest or shaman, been feeling like healing dungeons again. But yeah my tauran may be finished. Hard to play sometimes when i know how great it was before.
Fuzzl Sep 25th 2011 12:05PM
With the visual retrospectives excluding tier 3 and instead showing tier 2.5, do you think Blizzard is planning on not making the original tier 3 available once again, or are they only showing off the tier sets still available in game?
Iirdan Sep 25th 2011 12:24PM
Probably the latter, but also keep in mind that T7 is mostly identical to T3, with palette swaps and a new DK set.
benbettis Sep 25th 2011 12:07PM
Is Chase gone? Does this mean you're looking for a new holy pally columnist? :D
benbettis Sep 25th 2011 12:10PM
doh! sorry, somewhere i thought i glanced a "christian" leaving but after digging deeper i realized it was c. christian moore. really wtb edit/delete :3
loop_not_defined Sep 25th 2011 12:42PM
It's too late. He's already crying on Twitter. Way to go. >:(
/comfort @madsushi
benbettis Sep 26th 2011 7:40PM
Oh no! No no, I love Chase's writing. I just wouldn't mind vying for a pally columnist job >:D But in all seriousness, glad to know he's still around.
jamie.holding Sep 25th 2011 12:18PM
Q for the Q
When 4.3 comes out it will bring with it the new DMF (darkmoon faire), I think someone said that it was going to only happen during the first week or so of every month so my question is: If it was released on the -th of november or a date around then would blizzard just not have the darkmoon faire at the start of the patch? It would seem abit odd to have a new patch and not have all the conent available immidiately.
Iirdan Sep 25th 2011 12:23PM
They do this all the time. They'll release a patch with a lot of new holiday content that won't show up until that holiday rolls around. The Ahn'Qiraj patch was released with two raid dungeons that weren't even opened yet; players had to work to open them.
Delaying the full content of a patch either artificially (as in the case of Ahn'Qiraj) or directly (only allowing Darkmoon Faire access on select dates) is a good way to increase the patch longevity and prevent player burnout.
Noyou Sep 25th 2011 1:41PM
If it is released the 2nd or 3rd week I think you will see the DMF. If it is released in the 4th week, I think they will just wait. Just seems logical to me. I can't see them hyping it up and then not putting it in for 2-3 weeks.