The Queue: Braggosh Day

Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo) will be your host today.
It's apparently Braggosh Day here at WoW Insider, where I just keep getting articles scheduled and keep including pictures of my orc warrior Braggosh as the title image.
Enjoy.
Twowolves asked:
1. Do beta mobs drop loot? I'm curious about the Cata to MoP stat jump. Although I hate having to wait until 80 to leave Northrend, the Cata gear that becomes available at 77 provide a crazy power and survivability boost.
2. Do we indeed have to wait until 85 to enter Pandaria?
3. Aside from monk, what other class do you think will be a big hit with the panda crowd?
1. Beta mobs do drop loot unless they are not itemized. I know, that's a cop-out answer, but it's true. Some mobs have generic loot tables -- like humanoids will always have gold, cloth, and some other items on their tables, and then rares and quest items are added into the mix. As for the stat jump, it's significant but, again, relative. For gear progression, in the limited time I've spent in beta, it feels as if you were entering Cataclysm zones with some pretty decent Wrath gear.
2. Yes, you will have to be 85 to enter Pandaria content, excluding the Wandering Isle, of course.
3. Pandaren warriors have some of the best warrior animations in the game, hands down. Ask Rossi. It's not an opinion -- it's fact. There will be many pandaren warriors. Also, pandaren rogues. Everyone wanted a tauren rogue for the fun factor, and here it is, ready for your consumption. Go forth and race-change, friends.
Fuzzl asked:
Does Ka Pao the Portal Panda mean Captain Placeholder is probably never going to come back? :(
Oh, I hope Captain Placeholder returns soon. However, Ka Pao the Portal Panda is growing on me pretty quickly. Who will write the first song about Ka Pao, hm?
Shrikesnest asked:
Do you think we'll see any updates to the riding profession in MoP? Or arewe riding and flying as fast as we're going to be?
I do not believe we will be flying or riding any faster in the near future.
Mattgibb asked:
How big is the Pandaren model compared to existing characters?
Pandaren are taller than orcs and shorter than tauren.
christopher asked:
As I understand it, a good portion of the quests for Pandaria are already completed. Does this include the Panda starting zone? I was thinking that when I get into the beta I could play through the starting zone and take my time and read quests. Then when it comes live, I could just blow right through it. Do you think the starting expereince will go through any drastic changes at this point?
The Wandering Isle starting area feels complete. There are tweaks and stuff, maybe texture things and quest flow or whatever, but it's ship-worthy. It's a whole lot more ship-worthy than some MMOs I've played in my lifetime, that's for sure. When I put my player hat on, that's what I like to do -- soak up the story when time isn't of the essence and plow through the stuff when launch hits. Less so these days, since I play much more casually, but that was our MO back in the day. You can certainly do that.
When you put on your tester hat, though, don't forget to stop, smell the roses, check them for bugs, and report your flower findings.
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Reader Comments (Page 8 of 8)
Ronin Mar 30th 2012 1:52PM
"How big is the Pandaren model compared to existing characters?
Pandaren are taller than orcs and shorter than tauren."
OK... any reference points for us Alliance players? How do they compare to Draenei and Night Elves?
ravyncat Mar 30th 2012 2:03PM
From what I have seen with various screenshots, the Pandaren look like they are about the same height as Night Elves.
I am not in the beta though so this is based solely on other people's screenshots.
djdavis1420 Mar 30th 2012 2:08PM
Do the new questing icons described in a different post apply to all quests since the beginning of WoW-time or just MoP quests? (Also, did I miss something with the WoWInsider Show this week? Did it happen? I keep refreshing my podcast app and nothing shows up. Sad, um, panda.... Bwahaha!)
Gigi Mar 30th 2012 3:15PM
Q for the Q
With all the new fangled options for new characters - has blizzard said anything about established characters? I really have no intention of paying $150 (10 characters x $15 each) in order to play around with the new options. I know I have only seen the Pandaren options but I have a hard time believing they will make ONLY the Pandaren character have the new options ui available.
Killik Mar 30th 2012 3:30PM
Do you mean appearance options? There will probably be a 'free makeover' when new models come in, to mitigate people's feelings of loss of control of their character's appearance.
Noyou Mar 30th 2012 6:37PM
I hope you are right Killik. I don't want to be overly cynical. I also don't want to get my, or anyone's hopes up. I can see one per account. I don't see them giving one per toon. I suppose they could just put you at the char customization screen, so that when you log in for the first time after a patch or something like that.
Killik Mar 30th 2012 7:03PM
One per character makes the most sense to me, Noyou. I think Blizzard is scared of players' reactions to new character models - no matter how good they are, people are going to rage. Giving you a chance to reconfigure the options, when the options have been changed, just seems a low-cost way to let players feel they're still in control.
There will still be so many complaints though. I can't wait for new models partly because, well, new models will be cool. But I also have a grim fascination with the oncoming tsunami of tears.
Possum Mar 30th 2012 7:32PM
I don't think the new models are all coming at once. Last I heard they expected the dwarves to be the first updated model. If they only allowed one free 'makeover' everyone would use it on their dwarf and there would be hilarious outrage when the next new model came around. Being cynical has nothing to do with it, Blizzard wouldn't want that player outrage, they're scared of doing the new models in the first place.
Skyrei Mar 30th 2012 3:25PM
(I asked this on the last queue but it was very late/early in the morning, i figured id give it one more shot):
Beta Q for the Q: What happens when you level up and gain a new ability in MoP? I know that you automatically learn it but is it some generic link in chat or is there a pop up window showing you what it does or how to use it?
As it stands now, you can get a vague idea of your rotation by reading talents in your talent tree but i fear with the old trees gone and talents/abilities given automatically that new players will be hopelessly lost with abilities they have no clue how to use.
Wrathkind Mar 30th 2012 6:44PM
re: "...new players will be hopelessly lost with abilities they have no clue how to use."
I'm fairly sure the player's spellbook isn't going anywhere. How else would abilities be added to/removed from/recovered back to your action bars? I suspect that the current highlighted sparkling/blinking icon will remain as the indicator that something new has appeared in your spellbook.
Killik Mar 30th 2012 7:08PM
Many abilities will just be in the spellbook, rather than the talent trees. But the talent trees will still be there, so I'm not sure where you think the confusion is going to arise. Currently, you get a notification of stat increases etc. in chat when you level up - I imagine that will also continue, with clickable links to highlight any new abilities that come along with the level.
mrtomhimself Mar 30th 2012 3:28PM
Qs for the Q.
Just in case Blizz decides to turn my Justice points and Valor Points into Gold, what is the ideal heirloom gear to buy now so I have it prepared for a monk?
Also, does anyone know what kind of limitations there will be for potions and the like in the challenge modes? I'm curious about this if it's something that Blizz is balancing around so they must be used, if it's something that will simply give players an edge, or if they will not be allowed save for instant Health/Mana potions.
Puntable Mar 30th 2012 4:36PM
A DPS monk can dual wield the agility 1H maces (level1), or the agility 1H swords (level10). A healing monk can use the staff or the healing mace. I'm not sure about tank spec.
Gosten Mar 30th 2012 4:02PM
Question
Do guardian bears and brewmaster monks get their own leather gear, or do they still wear rogue/feral stuff?
Also, are monks going to overtake paladins as the most played class in wow?
MilkweedMonster Mar 30th 2012 5:16PM
I hope they make Orcs taller.
Andalvar Mar 30th 2012 9:35PM
I'm a resto Shaman about to do raid finder the first time. I'm really nervous about it. I have a stat question. I have done a lot of reading up for 5 mans I have been reforging my mastery to haste and leaving my crit alone and they has been working really well for me but I have a lot of crit gear and not so much haste. I don't like mastery its a boring stat for me but I'm wondering if I should go for more haste since there is so much AOE healing and tital waves doesn't help with AOE cast times? What stats have others found most useful when starting raid finder?
Brockk Mar 30th 2012 10:33PM
So I don't know if this can be checked on beta but where a panada doesn't have a faction until lvl 10 does that allow you to mail items to a low lvl panada from one faction and then from there to a character on the opposing faction?
hawksball2004 Mar 31st 2012 6:11AM
Q for the Q: This is neither here nor there with all of the beta questions being presented, but do you think that Blizzard will implement the ability to be in a solo raid group for non-current tier (or maybe even non-current expansion) raids? I find it to be a pain in the butt to have to ask someone to group with me just so I can go solo Molten Core. I know it's not a huge deal to have a buddy jump on an alt and then just log out, but it seems like since it's already pretty easy, Blizzard may as well take the next step and allow you to actually solo the raid just like you can truly solo 5-mans.
Cydro Mar 31st 2012 5:54PM
Will bloodsail buccaneers rep be easier to farm in MOP? in the live version the goblin guards live like a truck