Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsThe Queue: I've gone viral
by Mathew McCurley 
Feb 13th 2012 at 11:00AM
No, not the hip, internet viral. The bad viral where you throw up for a week and can't ingest solid food.
At least I got my Lovebird. Let's answer some questions.
Shulkman asked:
Is there a use for Dark Iron Residue anymore? I believe it was used for Rep with Thorium Brotherhood, but not sure if that's still current, and I can't seem to find anyone to turn it in to.
Yes, you can still use it for reputation turn-in quests Gaining Acceptance and Gaining Even More Acceptance. You have to be friendly with the Thorium Brotherhood to get these quests.
To be honest, people don't do much of the Dark Iron Residue quests any more for reputation because it's so easy to farm up some Lava Cores and Fiery Cores from the Molten Core to turn in for almost 1,000 rep a piece. Also, how many times can I type "core" in one sentence? Apparently, the answer is three.
xenothaulus asked:
Will I have the Violet Proto-Drake on all my characters, and will that mean they all get the superfast flying? Because I've already bought it on most of them anyway and have been wanting to on the rest.
We have no idea since we don't exactly know what Blizzard's policy with account-wide achievements is going to be; however, I would assume that if your character got the achievement with the epic flying+ package deluxe, then all characters would get that as well. It seems almost stupid to have the gold sink in the game at that point, right? So maybe it won't behave that way.
I still like my idea of giving all characters who purchase a mount from the pet store the highest flying available.
Touphemia asked:
Hi Queue!! I am a toddler Paladin (as in, I'm still bright eyed and fresh faced, but I'm level 57). I love prot! Flinging shields and the hammer ability and shield holy power dump... they all look and sound amazing! My concern though, is that I'm not blocking much at all. I'd love to block more often than 5%, since blocking is awesome, bit I can't seem to find any way to increase my block without mastery.... Am I missing something? Is there a stat I can enchant or stack to make me block more? It'd be nice to be able to use Reckoning and Holy Shield!
You are missing a crucial ingredient in paladin blocking -- mastery. As you get into the 80-to-85 game and start acquiring gear with mastery on it, your block will skyrocket. As for now, blocking isn't even that crucial. Remember that the game has been tuned in such a way, as Blizzard does with each expansion, that tanking is barely tanking until the later levels. Don't worry about the block, stay bright-eyed and excited, and when mastery comes, you'll be extremely happy.
Sergel asked:
What's the best bar in WoW? Persoanlly I'm fond of Ironforge's
This is easily The Grim Guzzler in Blackrock Depths, hands down. It's got a band, a succubus waitress, hilarious antics, and dark iron dwarves, everyone is welcome, and it's in one of the coolest instances in the entire game. I'll sometimes use my Mole Machine to just go and hang out in the Grim Guzzler. Best bar, easily.
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 5 of 6)
Hob Feb 13th 2012 8:28PM
Hi Yalina,
Use this link: http://wow.joystiq.com/cataclysm
to read up on the dungeons. I would try them on normal at least a couple of times, then jump into Heroics. I'd avoid saying that you haven't done it on Heroic. If anyone asks directly, just say you're rusty, it's been a while, you haven't played this toon since Wrath and you're still gearing up - whatever you're comfortable saying and which sounds plausible. (But seriously, do it on normal a couple of times.)
What you'll find in the pre-Zul Heroics are: guilds doing guild runs, people who just hit 85 and are gearing up, people like yourself who haven't been doing dungeons, and people leveling alts.
My personal advice would be use CC if you've got it, attack what the tank is attacking, and protect the healer. I know, it's stupid to say it, but really really important in the early Heroics. You don't have the luxury of wandering around, mining, looking at stuff like you did with Wrath (or in current Vanilla). Also - stick with the group. Some dungeons (Stonecore, I'm looking at you!) have weird little mobs that zerg in and kill the person who's at the back of the group. Don't follow at a distance.
Once you're ready for the End Time Heroics, use this link:
http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/patch-4-3-5-man-bosses-in-5-seconds-or-less/
Have fun, and good luck!
Caz Feb 13th 2012 5:53PM
Question.
What is the best method to go about asking Blizzard to consider putting some items back on a vendor that were previously removed?
Specifically, I'm referring to the Relentless Gladiator items (like the Relentless Gladiator's Cord of Salvation) - the 5 piece sets can still be purchased with Justice points in Dalaran, but the matching boots, bracers and belts which were previously purchased with either Stonekeeper Shards or Honor points are now boss-only drops from Toravon or Koralon in Vault of Archavon.
I don't normally mind something being a boss drop, but it's impossible to farm these with any reliable chance of ever seeing them since the drop rate is around 1.5% on a very large loot table to begin with.
Furthermore, it's just doesn't make sense that they were removed in the first place while the rest of the sets were left in-game. Also, numerous other season PVP set items are still available from legacy vendors. Thus, I'd like to find the best channel to ask Blizzard about putting them back for transmogging purposes.
A long-shot, for sure, but it can't hurt to ask.
Killik Feb 13th 2012 7:42PM
Probably the official General forum stands the best chance of getting noticed by Blizzard employees.
RedMosquito Feb 13th 2012 6:14PM
A question for The Queue: after our "experience" (or lack thereof) with Dance Studios in Wrath and Path of the Titans in Cata, do you guys think any feature will get cut from MoP?
Personally, I don't know why, but I have this knack that we won't be seeing these "PVE Scenarios" after all. I mean, it was easily the least hyped feature at Blizzcon; you hardly saw anyone excitedly discussing it, and even Blizz has been pretty silent about it (granted, they've been silent about lots of MoP-related things, but they did at least mention the new talent system, pet battles and a few other features from time to time).
Besides, after the huge effort that went on revamping the old world in Cata, and Blizz now stating, time and again, that one of their main goals for MoP is "giving players lots of stuff to do" (which one would assume could be completed with "at max level"), I just have this feeling that someone in the development team is gonna say "screw this, I'm not gonna spend my precious development time going back to the old world and adding Scenarios for those leveling zones!"
Killik Feb 13th 2012 7:28PM
The scenario thing appears to be aimed at giving players more to do at the level cap, rather than simply revamping old levelling content. A sort of PvE Battlegrounds, if you will. As such, it's right in line with their stated goals for the expansion.
Impossible to say what they might drop, this early in the process. I think they'd have a riot on their hands if they were to lose 'World of Pokecraft', for example. Perhaps we'll have a better idea of things after the MoP PR blitz in March.
Hob Feb 13th 2012 8:36PM
Kind of two different things there:
Dance Studio was promised but has never officially been cut. In theory, it could be patched in tomorrow.
The Path of the Titans was announced but officially withdrawn.
RedMosquito Feb 13th 2012 9:03PM
I agree that Dance Studio has never "officially" been cut, but that's beyond the point, I think. The point is that developers thought about it hard enough to let it "leak" to the public, and later changed their minds about it.
Noyou Feb 13th 2012 9:16PM
I've been thinking there might be something to be scrapped too. Not sure what it would be at this point. Maybe the new talent system. Although the version they have now seems like it will be the most adaptable system they have had yet (although we heard that before). I hope it is not pet battles. That seems like "The" feature of the expac. Well outside from rolling pandas :p
I think PvE scenarios will be more like the Thrall questline. Although I do believe they said it would be instanced. So that should be interesting too. I hope everything makes it in as planned, if not right away- at some point during the expansion. Either way- unless it makes it to the Beta and I play it- I won't be too sad if it gets cut.
Noyou Feb 13th 2012 9:32PM
@Red
From what I heard they put "Dance Studio" as one of the features on the box. That is hardly the developers, "Leaking it".
Goshawk Feb 13th 2012 6:34PM
QftQ: Recently I was doing my incredibly horrible terribad archeology runs on Kalimdor (blue bug, here I come!) when I got a digsite at the Abyssal Sands Fossil Ridge in Tanaris. I was flying from spot to spot, when I noticed that the dead dragon bones had faces on them that looked like they were in anguish and pain. I was wondering, besides that and Karazhan, does Blizzard put in random faces like that anywhere else? It would be cool (and somewhat creepy) to look for some more!
Vorenos Feb 13th 2012 7:02PM
anyone know why i cant get the effects of my hunter polearm from DW and deathbringer's will from ICC to stack? is this a known bug? I WANNA BE A HUGE TAUNKA!!!!!
Philster043 Feb 13th 2012 7:22PM
So I was hunting some archaeology rares, and it occured to me that after all this time I still don't know what the last faded-out icon is in the book list of archaeology races? Looks like it's a reference to Brann Bronzebeard's Explorers' League?
Killik Feb 13th 2012 7:30PM
It's meant to be indecipherable for now, so that Blizzard can seamlessly add in another race's digsites with MoP. You might be right though - as placeholder they could be using an obscured Explorers' League icon.
VioletArrows Feb 13th 2012 7:32PM
It's just a placeholder icon. It doesn't mean anything right now.
Amaxe Feb 13th 2012 9:28PM
Placeholder? We get to search for Captain Placeholder? Does that mean teleports instead of annoying boat rides?
/duck
Philster043 Feb 14th 2012 1:09PM
Thanks for the answers fellas!
Thawed the Orc Feb 13th 2012 8:48PM
I am not one of those who loves/hates one expansion over another.. but I have to say.. At the dawn of each expansion it seems most of the posts complain the current one is worse than the last. At the end of Wrath, you would have thought Blizzard was some flyby-night malware company from all the complaining. Now everyone seems to have loved Wrath.
I suppose at the end of MoP we will have the same people complaining how easy it was and looking forward to more CC and wipe-fests to tide them over.
If Blizzard wanted to shut those up who complained Wrath was too easy, it seems to have worked over all.
Amaxe Feb 13th 2012 9:29PM
I liked TBC and very much enjoyed WOLK (except for the dependence on vehicle quests and jousting). Yes they were wearisome by the end, but they were fun up until the last few months.
I think Cataclysm was terrible.
So consider me an exception to your rule.
Noyou Feb 14th 2012 12:45AM
I think that is partially true. I also think that at times we hear different voices.
Before the new expac arrives we hear how it is going to suck and blizzard is catering to X fan base. Then it comes out and after a while we hear from the "I told you so crowd". Not many people pay attention to anyone saying anything good. Then things get easier and you hear from all the people who want to be snowflakes and want to horde their shines and titles. Then when the next expac is coming out you hear from all the people who think X was the best expac ever.
I'm not sure how long WoW would last if it never changed. I thin their biggest challenges lie ahead. With the level cap getting bigger and bigger, they will have some major decisions to go through. Probably at some point- they will have to have options to start players off at set levels.
JattTheRogue Feb 13th 2012 11:24PM
The thing is, you're always going to hear from those who are unhappy with something more than those who are happy with it. So maybe all the people who hated Wrath loved Cataclysm and there's a new set of people complaining about Cata. I, for one, really enjoyed Wrath, because that was the first time I had a max-level toon and was able to raid and otherwise partake in the end-game (I've played off and on since BC but never enough until Wrath to level all the way). As for Cata, I didn't think it was awful, but I definitely felt I enjoyed it less than Wrath. But I'm not the type of person to go onto a forum and bitch about how "Blizz ruined the game!" and the like.