WoW 24/7 http://www.feedrinse.com/ Sat, 25 May 2013 00:07:50 GMT Feed Rinse 1.0 (info@feedrinse.com) What's the best way to get Lesser Charms of Fortune? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/whats-the-best-way-to-get-lesser-charms-of-fortune/ What's the best way to get Lesser Charms of Fortune What's the best way to get Lesser Charms of Fortune every week? Although Blizzard recently reduced the amount of Lesser Charms of Fortune players need each week (by lowering the requirement for the weekly quest Mogu Coins of Fate from 90 charms to 50 charms) we've still got to get them somewhere. So what's the best way?

Prior to patch 5.3, it seemed like everyone was swearing by pet battles. Players were claiming they'd earned hundreds to thousands of Lesser Charms just killing critters in Stormwind. A hotfix eventually nerfed the drop chance for Lesser Charms in lower level pet battles, but higher level pet battles are still rewarding charms to anyone who wants to put in the time. Is it still worth it?

Patch 5.3 has also added a couple of changes to Lesser Charm collection to really mix up the equation. Level 90 creatures that are outdoors in the world now have a chance to drop Lesser Charms of Fortune, while rare spawns in Pandaria and bosses in Battlefield: Barrens are guaranteed to always drop the charms. The result of this? Hordes of players in Northern Barrens farming Lesser Charms off the new Kor'kron mobs there.

Continue reading What's the best way to get Lesser Charms of Fortune?

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What's the best way to get Lesser Charms of Fortune? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 5.3 Sat, 25 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/whats-the-best-way-to-get-lesser-charms-of-fortune/ WoW Moviewatch: ROFLMAO! http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/wow-moviewatch-roflmao/ I can't remember the last time we ran this video, which is a shame since it's one of the breakthrough machinima hits that brought the hobby to the masses. And by the "masses," I mean me. One of Oxhorn's biggest hits, ROFLMAO remains as hilarious to this day.

Enjoy a few moments of silly WoW song. Sorry if it gets stuck in your head all weekend. Then again, it's better to have in your head that Tik Tok. ROFLMAO!
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: ROFLMAO! originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featured Fri, 24 May 2013 23:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/wow-moviewatch-roflmao/ Have you done any heroic scenarios? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/have-you-done-any-heroic-scenarios/ new scenarios

View Poll


So, the new patch has been out for a few days now, and one of it's more touted features -- heroic scenarios -- has left us here at WoW Insider all scratching our heads a bit. See, surprisingly, there's no Dungeon Finder option to queue for them, meaning that currently the only way to do them is to get a premade group of three and zone into the scenario from its Azerothian starting point. Talk about a blast from the past! Suddenly visions of Shattrath trade chat in 2009 whirl before me, in which never ending whispers from those poor souls trying to get through heroic Shadow Labyrinth filled my chat log. "Will you tank?" they'd ask. "No," I'd respond. "I'm a healer!" (These were the days before dual specs.)

Ahem. In any case, trade chat has once more filled with calls of "LFM heroic scenarios," something that hasn't been seen around these parts in a while. We're all relearning how difficult it can be to round up a group without the Dungeon Finder around to grease the wheels. So, have any of you managed to successfully corral your groups and get through a heroic scenario or two?

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Have you done any heroic scenarios? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> dungeon-finder Fri, 24 May 2013 22:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/have-you-done-any-heroic-scenarios/ Death Knight one-per-realm restriction lifted http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/death-knight-one-per-realm-restriction-lifted/ Death Knight one per realm restriction lifted
WoW Insider received an email this morning about a small change that has us all a'fluster. Saruya sent us a notification that the restriction preventing players from having more than one death knight per realm has been lifted. We immediately logged into WoW to check this out, and as the eagle eyed among you will be able to see, this is definitely the case. I was able to make six death knights on Argent Dawn, with no issues whatsoever, and many more on other realms.

What's got us a little confused, though, is that we're not entirely sure when the restriction was lifted. Nethaera posted on the official US forums on April 14th, after the release of patch 5.2, that there was no update on when it would be lifted. This implies to us that it's a recent change, but it is conspicuously absent from the patch notes! Funny enough, when you assume there is not the possibility to create more than one DK per realm, you don't often try. So, we thought we'd post this here to clarify: you can now have all the DKs your cold, frostbitten heart desires.

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Death Knight one-per-realm restriction lifted originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking Fri, 24 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/death-knight-one-per-realm-restriction-lifted/ If you could create a minor glyph http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/if-you-could-create-a-minor-glyph/ If you could create a minor glyph
A great question was posted on the official EU forums today by Ferwyn, who asked "if you could make your own minor glyph what would it be?" They had a few suggestions, from a paladin-specific perspective, one of which I quite liked: Glyph of the Ascended, which Ferwyn suggested might make a paladin levitate and their wings flap during Avenging Wrath. This is a fantastic idea! Sure, the animation might be a bit tricky, but who'd let that stand in the way of a floating paladin, right?

Blizzard Community Manager Taepsilum weighed in with their own suggestions, which might randomly switch your title to Murloc on the Inside or Minion of Taepsilum. Title switching is a great idea, but even better, what about a minor glyph that allowed you to shapeshift into a murloc for a few seconds?

And while we're on this topic, what is your favorite minor glyph in the game right now? My high rated ones would be the Paladin Glyph of Winged vengeance, the butterfly wings during Avenging Wrath, and Glyph of the Falling Avenger, which adds slow fall to Avenging Wrath. But the absolute number one minor glyph for me is Glyph of Confession. The secrets are fantastic, and I have spent many a happy while running around my raids and PvP teams making them confess to things. My only complaint is that it's not useable on hostile targets -- how great would that be in arenas?

So if you could make a minor glyph, what would you call it and what would it do?

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If you could create a minor glyph originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> discussion Fri, 24 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/if-you-could-create-a-minor-glyph/ Phat Loot Phriday: Girdle of Eternal Memory http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/phat-loot-phriday-girdle-of-eternal-memory/ Phat Loot Phriday Girdle of Eternal Memory It's Memorial Day weekend in the United States. And so we feature the Girdle of Eternal Memory. It's a silly, meaningless gesture in the face of the overwhelming sacrifices made by the members of our uniformed services, but it's the one we have. So this weekend, I hope you take a moment or three of silence and consider the words spoken by TIrion:

"We shall take heart in his shining example and in your selflessness. Thank you for all that you have done."
Phat Loot Phriday brings you the scoop on some of the most ... interesting ... loot in the World of Warcraft, often viewed through the eyes of the stalwart Throgg and indelible Lolegolas. Suggest items you think we should feature by emailing mikeg@wowinsider.com.

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Phat Loot Phriday: Girdle of Eternal Memory originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fat-lewt Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/phat-loot-phriday-girdle-of-eternal-memory/ WoW Archivist: Launch classes' 9 biggest aggravations, part 2 http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/wow-archivist-launch-classes-9-biggest-aggravations-part-2-fr/ PallyPower WoW Archivist explores the secrets of World of Warcraft's past. What did the game look like years ago? Who is etched into WoW's history? What secrets does the game still hold?

Vanilla WoW is properly considered the golden age of this beloved MMO. The evolutionary ideas behind the game were exciting, the art style was fresh, and the world was full of mysteries. Some yearn for a return to that time. But many forget that classes at launch suffered from some truly aggravating designs. Last time on Archivist, we looked at priest racials, hunter mana, warlock shard farming, and shaman weapon skill resets. This week, we review the most aggravating aspects of warriors, mages, druids, rogues, and paladins.

Warriors: The leather conundrum

Let's be fair: warriors, for the most part, had it pretty good in vanilla. Back then, they were the only class that could viably tank and their DPS was better than most hybrids. Rage had its share of problems early on, it's true, but the mechanic worked -- warriors just needed more of it. Stance dancing was annoying to some but the mark of a pro to others. Warriors also had a crippling bug at launch that would register all enemy dodges and parries as misses, preventing skills like Overpower from ever proc'ing. The bug made early leveling painful, but it was solved a few months after launch.

The biggest aggravation for warriors throughout vanilla -- and beyond -- was leather.

Continue reading WoW Archivist: Launch classes' 9 biggest aggravations, part 2

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WoW Archivist: Launch classes' 9 biggest aggravations, part 2 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aggravations Fri, 24 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/wow-archivist-launch-classes-9-biggest-aggravations-part-2-fr/ WoW Insider's guide to the battle pets of 5.3 http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/wow-insiders-guide-to-the-battle-pets-of-5-3/ unborn val'kyr Patch 5.3 has added a ton of new content to the game, including some additional battle pets for us all to collect. We've compiled a a rundown of them, including where to find them and what they do. Have at y, pet collectors, and happy hunting!

Burning Crusade raid pets
There are a total of ten new battle pets that can be found in Burning Crusade-era raids. And you thought you were done farming the Karazhan opera!

Karazhan
L'il Bad Wolf
The L'il Bad Wolf has a chance to drop from the Big Bad Wolf at the Karazhan opera event. Sadly, the Big Bad Wolf is not a guaranteed boss from the opera, so this pet is likely to be one of the more difficult ones to add to your collection this patch. For the lucky ones who do manage to grab the L'il Bad Wolf, you'll be rewarded with a Humanoid pet possessing Claw, Mangle, Howl, Counterstike, Dodge, and Pounce. While none of those are unique abilities, Mangle is possessed only by two other pets in the game.

Continue reading WoW Insider's guide to the battle pets of 5.3

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WoW Insider's guide to the battle pets of 5.3 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> battle-pets Fri, 24 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/wow-insiders-guide-to-the-battle-pets-of-5-3/ The Queue: Breakfast http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/the-queue-breakfast/
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey) prefers her pancakes with blueberries. On a plate, not in a tub, thanks.

It's 2am, I am not breakfast, but hey a bowl of Golden Grahams sounds really good right about now.

Puntable1 asked:

They said the 5.3 "quests" were an experiment. Do you think the experiment failed or succeeded? I prefer the 5.2 Isle quests. I think killing Commanders will get old really quick.

Continue reading The Queue: Breakfast

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The Queue: Breakfast originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featured Fri, 24 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/the-queue-breakfast/ Around Azeroth: A city upon a hill http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/around-azeroth-a-city-upon-a-hill/ Around Azeroth A city upon a hill FRIDAY Submitter Taedran of Guilty as Charged on Silvermoon (US-A) has captured another high-resolution, long-distance zone picture. This one features the doomed goblin homeland of Kezan at sunset. Sure, it's polluted, tacky and filled with tin-roof shacks, but dammit, it was home. Maybe we shouldn't have centered our entire civilization under the shadow of a giant active volcano, and then mined underneath the giant active volcano, and then built a city where we mined and filled it with alchemists and engineers and other explosion-causing professionals. But hindsight is 20/20.

Gallery: Around Azeroth 3

Want to see your own screenshot here? Send it to aroundazeroth@wowinsider.com. We strongly prefer full-sized pictures with no UI or names showing. Include "Azeroth" in the subject line to ensure your submission dodges email spam filters; if you'd like to be credited, also include your name, guild and realm.

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Around Azeroth: A city upon a hill originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> around azeroth Fri, 24 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/around-azeroth-a-city-upon-a-hill/ Solo the Chess Event with Tikari's Tricks of the Trade http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/solo-the-chess-event-with-tikaris-tricks-of-the-trade/ Oh, you want that pet in Kara The Chess Event SUCKS BUTT here's how to solo it As an obsessive a big fan of battle pets, I was looking forward to everything patch 5.3 had to offer. Tons of battle pet changes, and the slew of new pets for the Raiding With Leashes II: Attunement Edition all had me especially excited. I zipped through The Eye and Serpentshrine Cavern hunting for the new pets, and emerged victorious with one. Huzzah! But on my way to Karazhan, I realized I'd need to solo the Chess Event to get to Prince Malchezaar, who also drops a pet.

I wiped a few times, but things turned around once I read through an excellent Chess Event soloing guide from WoW blogger Tikari of Tikari's Tricks of the Trade.

Keep in mind that even with a great plan, the Chess Event is still plagued with RNG issues. But knowing what to expect will hopefully keep your rage at bay.

Tikari lays out a simple set of moves -- with diagrams -- and priorities to give your king the best chance of surviving, which is the main goal. The event was nerfed to increase the delay between enemy moves, but keep a few tips in mind.
  • Move your king, and queen if you can, out of the fire immediately. Fire isn't a buff!
  • Attack the enemy king with your queen, using the Rain of Fire/Poison Cloud ability. Be sure to target the enemy king with the queen's main attack.
  • The Clerics seem to heal the enemy king more than I remember, but I kept them distracted with other pieces.
  • Medivh doesn't cheat as quickly as he did before, so you'll have time for about four moves before he does so the first time around. Be sure to at least give your king, ideally your queen as well, space to move. I was able to win in the end by moving backward out of fire, drawing the enemy king into it.
Good luck and be sure to check out Tikari's guide for all the details!

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Solo the Chess Event with Tikari's Tricks of the Trade originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> battle-pet Fri, 24 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/solo-the-chess-event-with-tikaris-tricks-of-the-trade/ Breakfast Topic: Do you read patch notes? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/breakfast-topic-do-you-read-patch-notes/ Breakfast Topic Do you read patch notes
Now, if you've been living in a secluded cave on the shores of Darkmoon Island for a few weeks, it's possible that you might not have heard of patch 5.3. This recent augmentation of the WoW universe hit US servers on Tuesday, and brought with it a bewildering array of changes, several for PvP, along with a ton of class changes, some bigger than others, as well as several new scenarios, and a whole new dynamic environment in the Barrens around Orgrimmar. If you're curious about any of this, you could do worse than checking out WoW Insider's Patch 5.3 coverage.

But the question is, do you really read patch notes? The official patch 5.3 notes appeared the day the patch launched, and as someone who processed them for our post on the matter, I am well aware of the sheer magnitude of this document. So the question stands: do you read patch notes? Personally, I do, to an extent. I will look at the general notes, the PvP notes, as well as the notes for raiding, and any class notes that particularly grab my attention. I won't read the pet battle notes, simply because that's not a part of the game I regularly engage in. And I wonder, therefore, whether, if there's a really exciting patch that makes substantial alterations to pet battles, I am missing it all because I just plain don't read the notes. So how about you? Do you read patch notes? Do you read them selectively? In full? Barely at all? What could Blizzard do with them to better hold your interest?

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Breakfast Topic: Do you read patch notes? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 24 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featured Fri, 24 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/24/breakfast-topic-do-you-read-patch-notes/ Deepwind Gorge: Simple strategy guide http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/deepwind-gorge-simple-strategy-guide/ Deepwind Gorge Simple strategy guide
Deepwing Gorge is the newest battleground in the game, added in patch 5.3. At this precise point in time, it is not in the Rated Battleground rotation, thanks to some bugs, but it will return fairly soon. Nonetheless, this guide is intended for random groups, not for rated teams, who, with additional organization, will be able to execute more complex and precise strategies.

What are we supposed to be doing?

Good question. There are three mines, the Goblin mine, the Center mine, and the Pandaren mine. I wrote about this in more detail back when this was still on the PTR, but suffice it to say, for now, that the Horde has a slight advantage in getting to the Goblin mine, while the Alliance has a slight advantage in getting to the Pandaren mine. As a result of that, a strategy that seems to work well enough for random groups is to split your team, sending around half to the Center mine, and half to either the Goblin or Pandaren mine, depending on which faction you're playing. You will also need to take a few players, depending on your healer numbers, to get the opposite faction's cart. I've been having success with a warrior and a couple of healers as a cart team, but you will need heals at the Center mine, where most of the fighting will take place.

Continue reading Deepwind Gorge: Simple strategy guide

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Deepwind Gorge: Simple strategy guide originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> arena Fri, 24 May 2013 01:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/deepwind-gorge-simple-strategy-guide/ Community Blog Topic: What's wrong with WoW? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/community-blog-topic-whats-wrong-with-wow/ Elf hands We've talked a lot recently about what's right with WoW. Whether it's the metacommunity, making with the stabby, lore, friends, etc., World of Warcraft keeps us coming back for more. But at the same time, 1.3 million people have left the game since February of this year. WoW still has the most active accounts over all other MMOs at 8.3 million, but people are leaving. Why do you think that is?

Many people complain about the dailies. There are so many and if you are a completionist, your daily to-do list is overwhelming. Others complain about the people. The perceived preponderance of funsuckers in Azeroth can make you not want to log back in, particularly after an unpleasant experience.

Continue reading Community Blog Topic: What's wrong with WoW?

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Community Blog Topic: What's wrong with WoW? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> community-blog-topic Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/community-blog-topic-whats-wrong-with-wow/ WoW Moviewatch: Black Angel http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/wow-moviewatch-black-angel/ While the song is most famous for its presence in Lost Boys, Legs turned it into the soundtrack for Black Angel in 2008. For all that it's full of gothic imagery and moody images, I still love the vision of 3 blood elf angels floating in mid-air. Call me a sucker, but it's still one of my favorite tiny bits of machinima. All that being said, this video is 5 years old. It's just amazing how time flies.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Black Angel originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> black-angel Thu, 23 May 2013 23:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/wow-moviewatch-black-angel/ Hearthstone's Secrets of Stranglethorn Vale http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/hearthstones-secrets-of-stranglethorn-vale/ Secrets of Stranglethorn Vale With all the excitement of patch 5.3, you may have missed this interesting little update from Hearthstone: a preview for one of the game board options, Secrets of Stranglethorn Vale. Not only is the artwork beautiful and appropriately atmospheric, but the description hints at a certain interactivity for the player.

If your opponent is taking a long time deciding their move for the turn, an interactive player board offers something for you to do while you're waiting. The Stranglethorn Vale preview also implies that there are going to be multiple different interactive player boards, all based on various zones and cities in WoW. Now I find myself rather curious to see what other areas Blizzard chooses to include as player board options. I'd love to have Desolace, Ashenvale, and the Plaguelands, personally. What kind of boards would you like to spice up your Hearthstone battles?

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Hearthstone's Secrets of Stranglethorn Vale originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft Thu, 23 May 2013 22:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/hearthstones-secrets-of-stranglethorn-vale/ Are you happy with Patch 5.3's story progression? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/are-you-happy-with-patch-5-3s-story-progression/ Are you happy with Patch 53's story progression Frankly, as a solidly Alliance player right now, I find patch 5.3 satisfying. I get why some players don't, but frankly I don't mind spending some time exploring the Horde from an Alliance perspective, without having to faction switch or roll a new character. In fact, I hope it's something they hold onto for future content - I'd love to see a storyline where a group of Horde had to infiltrate Ironforge and work alongside some Dark Irons, or even a story that pit blood elf agents against their forsaken allies by using the worgen as catspaws. My point is, getting to directly interact with Vol'jin was pretty fun, getting to bring the war to the Horde itself while setting up the Darkspear to do the heavy lifting made sense to me, and in general I enjoyed all of the scenarios and quests I've done this patch.

But just because I like something it doesn't follow that you all feel the same way. This patch's story is unfolding in interesting new ways - there's no reputation faction to unlock via daily quests, there are scenarios but no dungeons, and quests that don't repeat. It's quite possible to see much, if not all, of the storyline in one day. It's definitely a departure from what we've seen in previous Mists of Pandaria patches.

Continue reading Are you happy with Patch 5.3's story progression?

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Are you happy with Patch 5.3's story progression? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> mists-of-pandaria Thu, 23 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/are-you-happy-with-patch-5-3s-story-progression/ Speed up your gameplay with key bindings and macros http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/speed-up-your-gameplay-with-key-bindings-and-macros/
While many tout using the mouse for speedy gameplay, you can't overlook the power of the keyboard. While moving and turning is most quickly done with a mouse, it's a slow way to activate spells or open menus, so if you want to speed up your game, it's a good idea to learn WoW's default keyboard shortcuts as well as how to make your own key bindings and macros. We'll cover the basics and help you get started.

WoW's keyboard shortcuts
You may be surprised to see how much you can control with your keyboard. The first step to keyboard mastery is by opening up WoW's key binding interface. Just hit your escape key to open up the game menu and then select Key Bindings. Now, we aren't going to mention every key binding in WoW here, because as you scroll through this menu you'll see there are a lot of them.

Continue reading Speed up your gameplay with key bindings and macros

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Speed up your gameplay with key bindings and macros originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featured Thu, 23 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/speed-up-your-gameplay-with-key-bindings-and-macros/ Off-spec loot options, are you using them? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/off-spec-loot-options-are-you-using-them/
As we've mentioned before, one of the biggest changes to patch 5.3 is the ability to get off-spec loot in LFR. It has the potential to be a real game changer for players who occupy a critical non-DPS role. This means if you queue up for LFR as a tank, you'll be able to get DPS gear instead of tanking gear. And for tanks this is especially important, as they always seem to lag behind in DPS gear (while this might not help for a heroic tank having to go DPS, for everyone else it's a boon).

Last night Ghostcrawler tweeted the following:

Ladies and gentlemen, don't forget 5.3 loot spec. It was a common request. Right click on your name plate to change.

- Greg Street (@Ghostcrawler) May 23, 2013

Honestly, Ghostcrawler's tweet raises an eyebrow. Why did he do this? Without reading too much into what he's saying, I think it's obvious that to some extent it's because he feels not enough people are aware of it or are using it as they should be (otherwise why say something). I'm wondering if Blizzard has preliminary stats already about the number of people using off-spec loot and it's not where they want it.

One of the reasons for that is it's tucked away in the menu options, somewhere that is relatively hidden from the visual crawl (where you move your view around the window/UI and look for options). Even as a veteran WoW player I occasionally forget that something is in the player menu, and I know there's been a few times when I'm suddenly surprised something's there.

I hope that players are using this to their full advantage; run LFR as a tank and get DPS gear is a pretty sweet deal. What's your use of the function so far, or are you waiting until the weekend to start your LFR runs? For more of the really important things about 5.3 you might have missed, check out or post listing 'em.

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Off-spec loot options, are you using them? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ghostcrawler Thu, 23 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/off-spec-loot-options-are-you-using-them/ WoW Insider Show Episode 295 http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/wow-insider-show-episode-295/ The WoW Insider Show Episode 247 In which we say hello to Anne Every week, join us as we present you with The WoW Insider Show podcast -- an hour's worth of WoW community discussion covering everything from the week's top stories here on WoW Insider to emails from our readers and what's been going on with our particular characters in Azeroth.

Want to have your question answered on the air? Email theshow@wowinsider.com!

Get the podcast:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the WoW Insider Show directly in iTunes.
[RSS] Add the WoW Insider Show to your RSS aggregator.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.

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WoW Insider Show Episode 295 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> facebookfeed Thu, 23 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/wow-insider-show-episode-295/ Injecting draenei culture into mainstream Azeroth http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/injecting-draenei-culture-into-mainstream-azeroth/ Injecting draenei culture into mainstream Azeroth THU It's been about a decade now since the crash of the Exodar, and the ageless ways of the draenei are beginning to weave themselves into the fabric Azeroth. Yet of all Azeroth's peoples and despite what must be an ancient history, the draenei remain shrouded in a certain amount of mystery. Into that breach steps the draenei guild Kharanei of Wyrmrest Accord (US), working to preserve existing draenei heritage while pushing the culture forward into Azerothian society.

"We're establishing guild canon lore and culture all the time, everything from weddings to holidays to folk tales and language," says Nelua, Kharanei's GM. "We actually invented a week-long holiday to coincide with the Indian Diwali, the Festival of Light (much like Blizzard bases its holidays on existing ones). It commemorates the flight from Argus and the triumph of good over evil while paying respects to those who died fighting the good fight. A large, open-attendance celebration was held in Telaar, and it was very successful -- a very proud moment for the guild."

Kharanei brings more than merely entertaining ideas to the table. A lore-driven council with other Alliance guilds and a storyteller-guided roleplaying framework keep its day-to-day progress feeling fresh and alive, pulling the draenei into an ever-closer relationship with the world they now inhabit.

Continue reading Injecting draenei culture into mainstream Azeroth

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Injecting draenei culture into mainstream Azeroth originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> all-draenei Thu, 23 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/injecting-draenei-culture-into-mainstream-azeroth/ The Queue: WoW outside WoW http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/the-queue-wow-outside-wow/ Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Adam Holisky (@adamholisky) will be your host today.

Today's Queue is dedicated to the magic missile.

It was the first spell that I learned when I was playing the original Baldur's Gate way back when. That spell killed those damn level one wolves roaming around the field right after the old grandfather dude died. I just had to remember not to run into them without being ready.

Daniel asked:

Do your coworkers know that you play WoW? Do they get it?

Continue reading The Queue: WoW outside WoW

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]]> featured Thu, 23 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/the-queue-wow-outside-wow/ Around Azeroth: Short people got no reason to live http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/around-azeroth-short-people-got-no-reason-to-live/ Around Azeroth Short people got no reason to live THURSDAY

"I won a contest from the Tauren Think Tank podcast and scored my own Lil' Ragnaros," writes submitter Marconin of Just Wipe It on Draka (US-A). "I was overjoyed to add this guy to my collection ... until I summoned him. Being a gnome, I'm used to things and people towering over me. I'm not used to my pets dwarfing me! I heard you can use him as a cooking fire, but I doubt I'll ever find out for myself. There's no way I'm getting on my tiptoes with a frying pan. I have standards, you know."

Gallery: Around Azeroth 3

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Around Azeroth: Short people got no reason to live originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> around azeroth Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/around-azeroth-short-people-got-no-reason-to-live/ Community Blog Topic Results: Rewarding well-behaved players http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/community-blog-topic-results-rewarding-well-behaved-players/ Award ceremony Previously in Community Blog Topic, we talked about the punishment of funsuckers. Conversely, last week we talked about rewarding players who are known for good behavior.

MrandMrsWoW voiced on their blog what many people in the comments were saying: good behavior is its own reward. They go on to list their reasons why well-behaved players should not be rewarded:
  • WoW is not school, and should be treated as such!
  • Good behaviour is a basic human principal and should be a given (whether it is or not is a separate issue)
  • Rewarding people for being polite will only encourage more scamming of the system
  • I can't think of a fair way to instigate a reward system: for LFR? For LFG? For guildies? Should we vote? How do we vote?
  • What is 'well-behaved'? Not swearing? Saying hello? Not ninja-ing loot? I can't see a fair way to judge it.
  • WE SHOULD NOT BE REWARDING GROWN ADULTS FOR NOT BEING NASTY TO EACH OTHER!
The World of Warcraft may not be school, but there are plenty of school-aged players who could use some guidance in the correct direction of becoming well-behaved adults. It's not WoW's job to parent them, but offering positive reinforcement by peers is not necessarily a school-only thing. With employee of the month awards and merit bonuses being used in the working world, rewarding good behavior is a commonplace tactic used by adults for adults.

Continue reading Community Blog Topic Results: Rewarding well-behaved players

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Community Blog Topic Results: Rewarding well-behaved players originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> behavior-modification Thu, 23 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/community-blog-topic-results-rewarding-well-behaved-players/ Breakfast Topic: Is WoW losing the romance by focusing on the numbers? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/breakfast-topic-is-wow-losing-the-romance-by-focusing-on-the-nu/ Breakfast Topic Is WoW losing the romance by focusing on the numbers Virtually every player eagerly embraced the advent of facts, figures, and formulae driving the game when they first began to trickle through to the player base some years ago. We scoured forums, fan sites, and data-driven websites like Wowhead. A way to tell which gear worked best for your character? Sweet. Community managers and devs who actually explained and discussed game mechanics? Utterly amazing. It was a brave new world and an entirely new way to play. Gone were the days when players murmured longingly of eloquently named pieces whose names evoked the epic locations they came from. Now, it was all about tiers. We argued endlessly over the correct numerical sequencing of armor sets -- remember the etymological debate over "Dungeon 2" vs. "Tier 0.5"?

A little bit of knowledge about how to tinker under the hood is absolutely a positive and helpful thing. Today, we expect free access to ability and spell mechanics and a point-by-point road map to gearing up. But at some point, overachievers that we humans are, so many numbers can make the game feel more like a checklist of benchmarks than a storied progression of fantastic encounters and arcane gear.

Whether or not all the analysis gets under your skin, it's easy to see how this emphasis on precision and analysis evolved. The question is, do you think that this is merely a subjective matter of roleplay immersion in the fantasy aspect of World of Warcraft, or do you think the attitude actually reduces the game in spirit and heart? Do the vistas and horizons of Azeroth ever seem uncomfortably closer when every step is paved with a formula pointing to your destination? Where do we stand on the balance scale of pre-analyzing and measuring how the numbers stack up vs. gaining a feel from experience for how things work in the world of Azeroth?

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Breakfast Topic: Is WoW losing the romance by focusing on the numbers? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featured Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/breakfast-topic-is-wow-losing-the-romance-by-focusing-on-the-nu/ Patch 5.3: Hotfixes for May 22 http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/patch-5-3-hotfixes-for-may-22/ Patch 53 Hotfixes for May 22
Another day, another set of hotfixes. Patch 5.3 has not been without its hiccups, with a reasonable list of known issues appearing from Blizzard earlier today. But the developers are fixing the issues as quickly as they appear, with changes already in place to work out the problems encountered in the seat of knowledge, where the lack of a graveyard meant that players were unable to retrieve their corpses. A hotfix has been made which allows players who have died in the Seat of Knowledge to fly back to their bodies with a Spectral Gryphon (Wisp for Night Elves) or a Spectral Wyvern.

Is this the first step towards Blizzard allowing corpse flying in Pandaria? Check out all the hotfixes after the break.

Continue reading Patch 5.3: Hotfixes for May 22

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Patch 5.3: Hotfixes for May 22 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 22:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking Thu, 23 May 2013 03:25:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/patch-5-3-hotfixes-for-may-22/ Random Battleground healer balance system temporarily disabled http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/random-battleground-healer-balance-system-temporarily-disabled/ Battleground healer balance system temporarily disabled
Senior PvP Designer Brian Holinka tweeted just a short while ago about the temporary removal of one of patch 5.3's shiny new systems: the one that balances healer numbers in opposing random battleground teams.

@phxtich We had to disable the healer balance system as it had a bug that only revealed itself with live numbers of users.

- Holinka (@holinka) May 22, 2013
Holinka later confirmed that this issue was the one that was causing some players to experience very long queue times for random battlegrounds, an issue that had cropped up in several places on the official forums. His tweet said that players, both healers and DPS, were becoming "stuck" in the queue.

As a result, the system has now been temporarily disabled. This means that teams with unequal healer numbers will reappear, so don't be surprised that the system is not working. Bugs do happen, and as I'm always going on about, PvP is a rare thing on the PTR. So it's no surprise that, when big new features like this go live, they might not withstand the strain. If you want to stop these problems, don't QQ, get on the next PTR and make with the stabby. You'll be doing yourself a favor! And while you're waiting, WoW Insider has a guide on helping the healers you do have in random battlegrounds.

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Random Battleground healer balance system temporarily disabled originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> battleground-balance Thu, 23 May 2013 01:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/random-battleground-healer-balance-system-temporarily-disabled/ Blizzard soliciting feedback for pet battle changes http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/blizzard-soliciting-feedback-for-pet-battle-changes/ Blizzard soliciting feedback for pet battle changes Community Manager Crithto took to the forums, asking for feedback about changes to the mechanical and elemental pet battle families. As of right now, elemental attacks have both an offensive and defensive advantage over mechanical, making it imbalanced compared to the other families. Blizzard proposes to change which families both types of pets have an advantage against:

One set of changes proposes:
  • Critters would replace elementals in taking less damage from mechanical attacks
  • Dragonkin would replace critters in taking less damage from elemental attacks
  • Elementals would replace dragonkin in taking less damage from flying attacks
and the other:
  • Elementals would replace aquatic pets in taking less damage from undead attacks
  • Aquatic pets would replace elementals in taking less damage from mechanical attacks
The second set of suggested changes would require less alteration to the current system and therefore has my vote. Do you have an opinion? If so, take advantage of Blizzard's request for player input and cast your vote in the forums.

The full text of Crithto's post is after the break.

Continue reading Blizzard soliciting feedback for pet battle changes

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Blizzard soliciting feedback for pet battle changes originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> battle-pet-families Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/blizzard-soliciting-feedback-for-pet-battle-changes/ WoW Moviewatch: Guards 3 http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/wow-moviewatch-guards-3/ Work Warning: Lots of cursing and vaguely adult themes. A touch on the adult side.

Ian Beckman is a man who delivers. Whether it's a surprising range of comedic voice acting or solid graphics that deliver the funny, his machinima always serves up more than a few laughs. Guards 3 continues to lampoon COPS in this wild World of Warcraft.

I like how the small vignette turns into a larger story, and I'll admit the final bit was my favorite. Whether that's because I harbor my own angst about the king, or just because it was the most straightforward joke, the utter defeat of the villain serves as warning to anyone who gets a name wrong.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Guards 3 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featured Wed, 22 May 2013 23:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/wow-moviewatch-guards-3/ Poll: Are you enjoying patch 5.3? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/poll-are-you-enjoying-patch-5-3/
So now that we've had a bit of time to play with Patch 5.3: Escalation on the live realms, what do you think of it? Worried about how nerfs or changes are affecting your game? Annoyed by bugs that made it live? Love -- or hate -- the new scenarios, battleground, or arena? Still getting used to the PvP changes? Into the story -- or frustrated that the alliance is just coming to the horde's rescue? Let us know how you really feel in the poll and comments.

View Poll

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Poll: Are you enjoying patch 5.3? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 5.3 Wed, 22 May 2013 22:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/poll-are-you-enjoying-patch-5-3/ The best -- or the worst -- of the WoW clones http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/the-best-or-the-worst-of-the-wow-clones/
You've probably heard the term "WoW clone" applied to nearly every MMO out there, because as WoW borrowed ideas from older games like EverQuest, so newer games borrow from WoW. And any game with WoW-like features -- by which we mean nearly any MMO -- might get branded with the label "clone," no matter how good it is. However, some of these myriad WoW clones strike us as particularly... well, let's call it familiar.

Now don't get us wrong -- these aren't bad games, and every game builds on its predecessors in an attempt to make something better. But if you're looking for something that's distinctly different from WoW, none of these are going to fit the bill. However, any of them may be an entertaining change of pace or just an amusing venture into what some of the other MMOs on the market are doing.

Continue reading The best -- or the worst -- of the WoW clones

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The best -- or the worst -- of the WoW clones originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> clone Wed, 22 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/the-best-or-the-worst-of-the-wow-clones/ Encrypted Text: Mastering Tricks of the Trade macros http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/encrypted-text-mastering-tricks-of-the-trade-macros/ tricks of the trade Every week, WoW Insider brings you Encrypted Text for assassination, combat and subtlety rogues. Chase Christian will be your guide to the world of shadows every Wednesday. Feel free to email me with any questions or article suggestions you'd like to see covered here.

Tricks of the Trade is a strange ability for rogues. Why would we sacrifice our own damage (by spending energy) to boost the damage of someone else? Aldriana and Pathal have both spoken out against TotT's misguided benevolence and its boring mechanics. Rather than being a situationally-useful ability that we pull out when the time is right, TotT has become a set-and-forget chore that we just auto-cast on the second-highest DPS in raid.

Lore issues aside, Tricks of the Trade is a pretty good ability. Used properly, it can greatly accelerate the rate that tanks pick up aggro, which makes dungeons and raids just a bit easier. While it's a DPS loss for the rogue casting TotT, it's a net gain for the raid's DPS, and that's a sacrifice that we'll have to make. It's also incredibly potent in PvP; granting an ally a 15% damage boost is a pretty big deal.

Continue reading Encrypted Text: Mastering Tricks of the Trade macros

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Encrypted Text: Mastering Tricks of the Trade macros originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> assassination-rogue-encrypted-text Wed, 22 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/encrypted-text-mastering-tricks-of-the-trade-macros/ The top ten most desolate spots in WoW http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/the-top-ten-most-desolate-spots-in-wow/ map header A little while ago, we did a "Top ten most beautiful spots in WoW" post, and many commenters had an interesting request: a companion post of the ten most desolate places in WoW. We thought it was a great idea, so we're taking the suggestion to heart. This was an interesting topic to think about, because the desolate spots in WoW are the ones I tend to avoid. For the most part, I don't want to spend my fun WoW time in virtual wastelands! Then again, sometimes those deserted, eerie places have a haunting beauty all their own. Check out our list, and tell us your own favorite desolate places in World of Warcraft!

Continue reading The top ten most desolate spots in WoW

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The top ten most desolate spots in WoW originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blasted-lands Wed, 22 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/the-top-ten-most-desolate-spots-in-wow/ The Queue: The Frenzy of Patch 5.3 http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/the-queue-the-frenzy-of-patch-5-3/ Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Matthew Rossi has upgraded his gear and is now waiting for the first night of raiding in 5.3 to discover what got broke.

I have this weird thing where, if I see a lot of people doing something (like heroic scenarios or the new Battlefront: Barrens stuff) I tend to say "Eh, I'll wait until the furor has died down a bit" before I take part as well. So yesterday, I did a fun interview, logged on to upgrade all my gear with the 3000 valor I had saved up, then ran Black Temple for a bit before logging off. I don't know if it's simple obstinacy or simply the knowledge that all of this stuff will be here for at least a couple of months and there's no hurry to see it all right now.

Anyway, on to your questions.

Thieren said:
Also, since we're not quoting the Beastie Boys tomorrow's Queue should feature the Sabotage video.

I went with Intergalactic instead.

Continue reading The Queue: The Frenzy of Patch 5.3

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The Queue: The Frenzy of Patch 5.3 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Barrens Wed, 22 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/the-queue-the-frenzy-of-patch-5-3/ Patch 5.3: Known issues http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/patch-5-3-known-issues/ Patch 53 Known issues
It's often the case that more patches means more problems, and while the majority of Patch 5.3: Escalation is running like clockwork, there are a few hiccups popping up along the way. WoW Insider reported on one late last night: the issues with the Tyrannical Conquest achievement. This achievement, awarded when a player has earned 25,000 conquest points in a season, also allows players to purchase conquest gear for honor. It was being awarded far too early, and allowing players who weren't entitled to do so to buy that Tyrannical gear for honor. A hotfix was swiftly implemented, blocking purchases from the vendor selling Tyrannical gear for honor, and a fix to the achievement is in the works.

The devs are also working hard on a fix that allows players to resurrect inside Lorewalker Cho's Seat of Knowledge room above Mogushan -- this contested territory is the base for the first run of new scenarios, so was seeing heavy traffic from both factions, and is out of reach from the normal resurrection run.

And what's more, Deepwind Gorge, the new battleground in patch 5.3, has been temporarily pulled from the rated battleground rotation, thanks to problems with base captures. Lastly, there are also reported problems with sound-generating addons such as Deadly Boss Mods, but WoW Insider has only been able to replicate this in certain situations. For the rest of the issues, hit the break!

Continue reading Patch 5.3: Known issues

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Patch 5.3: Known issues originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking Wed, 22 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/patch-5-3-known-issues/ Hotfix incoming to fix Seat of Knowledge death issues http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/hotfix-incoming-to-fix-seat-of-knowledge-death-issues/
If you're on a PvP realm, you may have noticed that with the release of Patch 5.3 that things have gotten kind of hectic at the Seat of Knowledge, where Lorewalker Cho hangs out when he's not pushing buttons randomly in MSV. Apparently the guards at the Seat simply cannot cope with the increased volume of Horde/Alliance aggression, and players who die in the fracas are finding out that they can't easily get back to their bodies.

Rygarius, ever the helpful hippogryph, informs us that there's a hotfix on the way to smooth out these issues and allow players to get back to their bodies if they die ignominiously at Cho's feet. Or in the vicinity of his feet. His feet will be close, is what I'm saying. We're told that the hotfix may require a realm restart to take affect, so be on the watch for that.

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Hotfix incoming to fix Seat of Knowledge death issues originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Graveyard Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/hotfix-incoming-to-fix-seat-of-knowledge-death-issues/ Around Azeroth: Are you experienced? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/around-azeroth-are-you-experienced/ Around Azeroth Stay away from the brown acid Another entry from the archives of mega-submitter Taedran of Guilty as Charged on Silvermoon (US-A). I'm not entirely sure what has caused the rivers of Uldum to run red with blood, nor why the sky suddenly resembles the favorite poster of college girls everywhere, Van Gogh's The Starry Night. But I'm pretty sure that hallucinogens are somehow involved. Which, unless you are a devotee of certain American Indian religions, is officially Not Cool with the government. Please turn yourself in at the nearest police station.

Gallery: Around Azeroth 3

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Around Azeroth: Are you experienced? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> around azeroth Wed, 22 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/around-azeroth-are-you-experienced/ Patch 5.3 hotfixes for May 21 http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/patch-5-3-hotfixes-for-may-21/ Patch 53 hotfixes for May 21
Patch 5.3 is officially live on servers -- and of course, with a new patch, we've got a new round of hotfixes. While there are some class tweaks for druids, monks, paladins and shaman, most of the changes involve new content. Or in the case of one change, an adjustment to older content that ought to make pet collectors and Karazhan farmers very happy.
  • In the Chess Event over in Karazhan, the delay between moves for enemy chess pieces has been increased.
  • Out in the Battlefield: Barrens, map markers for caravans that have been destroyed ought to be properly removed from the world map. In addition, overturned caravans should now despawn properly.
  • In scenarios, the issue causing shape-shifted players to not shape-shift back into the correct race has been fixed.
Read on for the full list of hotfixes!

Continue reading Patch 5.3 hotfixes for May 21

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Patch 5.3 hotfixes for May 21 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featured Wed, 22 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/patch-5-3-hotfixes-for-may-21/ Breakfast Topic: What peripherals do you use to play WoW? http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/breakfast-topic-what-peripherals-do-you-use-to-play-wow/ Breakfast Topic What hardware do you use to play WoW
I started a bit of a discussion on Twitter yesterday, rather by accident, by talking about trackpads and their use to steer your character in WoW. I was writing outside, on my laptop, and wanted to log into the game to check something. It took me an age to steer my character over to the flight path in the Shrine, hop on a kite and head over to the PvP vendor to verify what I needed to check, and I momentarily glanced back to my first ever day playing WoW, when I used a trackpad. Man, that was hard. I quickly graduated to a normal mouse, and then onto a Razer Naga, and have never looked back.

As far as keyboards go, I'm still searching for the perfect one. I play on a laptop, and love the shallow travel, small reach and flat keys of my laptop's keyboard. I have a couple of external ones, so that I can play on a larger monitor, but haven't yet found one that replaces the laptop keyboard for sheer comfort and speed. The closest I've got is a Logitech super-flat keyboard. I'd use a Mac keyboard if all the keys weren't in the wrong places.

But how about you? Do you use a trackpad? External mouse? External keyboard? If so, which ones? And are you the mysterious, as yet unseen player who has played WoW on one of those mice that is a little rubber joystick in the center of the keyboard?

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Breakfast Topic: What peripherals do you use to play WoW? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breakfast-topic Wed, 22 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/breakfast-topic-what-peripherals-do-you-use-to-play-wow/ Conquest Vendors temporarily disabled http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/conquest-vendors-temporarily-disabled/ Conquest Vendors Temporarily Disabled
Blizzard Community Manager Daxxarri has taken to the US and EU forums to explain a temporary issue that has led Blizzard to temporarily disable the Conquest quartermasters for both factions.
Daxxarri
The achievement, Tyrannical Conquest, is only intended to be awarded when players earn 25,000 Conquest Points. Due to an issue that was not detected during the PTR testing process, the achievement could be awarded much earlier than intended. We are currently in the process of working to resolve the issue.

In the meantime, we've applied a hotfix that temporarily prevents players from purchasing gear from Tyrannical PvP item vendors.

This achievement required a hotfix back in patch 5.2, too, as it was incorrectly calculating the points required. It seems that, with patch 5.3, things have gone from bad to worse. The reason this is an issue is that the achievement's completion, at 25,000 conquest, now allows players to purchase conquest gear with honor. Allowing players to purchase that gear with honor at a far lower points earned level than intended was clearly a bit of an issue! Hopefully the developers will be able to implement a fix very soon, so that PvPers can continue to purchase their gear.

Update: Senior PvP Designer Brian Holinka tweeted WoW Insider this morning to clarify that the only disabled vendor is the one selling Tyrannical gear for honor. The Tyrannical conquest vendor is, in fact, still available.

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Conquest Vendors temporarily disabled originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 21 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breaking Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 GMT http://wow.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/conquest-vendors-temporarily-disabled/ World of Warcraft patch 5.3 goes live today http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/world-of-warcraft-patch-5-3-goes-live/ Filed under: , , , ,

World of Warcraft patch 53 is up and running
Another World of Warcraft patch day has come upon us. Patch 5.3, Escalation, is hitting the game today, bringing with it a whole host of changes from loot specialization to increased pet battle accuracy. The patch introduces a new Battleground, Deepwind Gorge, as well as a new Arena called The Tiger's Peak. Four new scenarios are being added, plus six new Heroic difficulties. The Escalation quest campaign adds new tasks for Alliance and Horde members as they prepare to remove Garrosh Hellscream from Orgrimmar.

You can read the exhaustive patch notes on the official site, and you can catch up on all the nitty gritty details on patch 5.3 on our sister site, WoW Insider.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft patch 5.3 goes live today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Elisabeth Cardy) 5.3 Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/world-of-warcraft-patch-5-3-goes-live/ One Shots: The many lives of Gwen Thackeray http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/one-shots-the-many-lives-of-gwen-thackeray/ Filed under: , , , , , ,

One Shots Looming death
Hey Gwen, how's it hanging? Find that flute yet? Yeah, don't worry, I'm sure it'll turn up around here somewhere. Don't get too near the river there, girl; those skale have a nasty bite! Say, what's that sulfurous smell in the air? And those distant screams that are drawing nearer at an incredible rate? And a sudden looming premonition that the property values around here are about to take a nosedive?

Reader Sharvis sent in this Guild Wars picture with a modicum of pity: "Here is Gwen moments before the Searing. Poor girl."

Don't feel too sorry for her, Sharvis! She gets an entire expansion, after all!

Continue reading One Shots: The many lives of Gwen Thackeray

MassivelyOne Shots: The many lives of Gwen Thackeray originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) activision Sun, 19 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/one-shots-the-many-lives-of-gwen-thackeray/ Sad pandas: More sub losses expected in WoW http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/sad-pandas-more-sub-losses-expected-in-wow/ Filed under: , , , ,

Sad pandas More sub losses expected in WoW
If you thought World of Warcraft losing 14% of its users -- over one million -- during the first quarter of the year was bad, just wait; according to Activision-Blizzard, subscription numbers are expected to dip even further. Of course, even with the loss, WoW is still the most popular sub-based game in the world, but shares in the studio still dropped after the announcement was made to investors, down by nearly 5% on Wednesday .

The loss of players is coming primarily from the East, and Activision-Blizzard points to the rise of free-to-play games as the culprit. Chief Executive Bobby Kotick stated to investors, "It's important to note that the nature of online games has changed, and with the environment becoming far more competitive." So what's to be done? "To address this," he continued, "we're working to release new content more frequently to keep our players engaged longer and make it easier for lapsed players to come back into the game."

MassivelySad pandas: More sub losses expected in WoW originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 May 2013 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (MJ Guthrie) activision Tue, 14 May 2013 15:45:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/sad-pandas-more-sub-losses-expected-in-wow/ The Daily Grind: Should World of Warcraft go free-to-play? http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/the-daily-grind-should-world-of-warcraft-go-free-to-play/ Filed under: , , , , , ,

World of Warcraft
There's only one Western subscription MMO that can stand to lose 1.3 million subs in three months and shrug it off: World of Warcraft. But shrug it off doesn't appear to what Activision-Blizzard is doing. During the investor call that revealed the heavy sub losses, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick acknowledged the changing market and his plans to adapt with speedier content. "It's important to note that the nature of online games has changed," he said, "and [that] the environment [is] becoming far more competitive, especially with free-to-play games." And Blizzard president Mike Morhaime suggested the company is "studying" the comings and goings of players and how to entice former players to return.

Well, we don't have to look much further than Star Wars: The Old Republic's recent rejuvenation to figure out that free-to-play is one of the better ways to entice gamers to return (and open their wallets). Surely, Blizzard has to be wondering whether F2P might be a huge boost to the game as it's approaching its ninth birthday later this year. What do you think -- will World of Warcraft eventually go free-to-play, and more importantly, should it?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Should World of Warcraft go free-to-play? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Brianna Royce) activision Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/the-daily-grind-should-world-of-warcraft-go-free-to-play/ World of Warcraft loses over a million subs since February, now down to 8.3 million http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/world-of-warcraft-subscription-numbers-drop-by-1-3-million/ Filed under: , , , ,

World of Warcraft's Algalon
The world's most popular MMO has gotten a bit less popular in the last few months, it would seem. During today's quarterly investor call, Activision-Blizzard announced that World of Warcraft's subscriber numbers are down to 8.3 million. While that's still nothing to thumb your nose at, it does represent a significant decline from the 9.6 million subscribers the game was reported to have last February.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft loses over a million subs since February, now down to 8.3 million originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 May 2013 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Matt Daniel) activision Wed, 08 May 2013 21:41:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/world-of-warcraft-subscription-numbers-drop-by-1-3-million/ Prepping for patch day in WoW http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/prepping-for-patch-day-in-wow/ Filed under: , , , , ,

Prepping for patch day in WoW
Are you anticipating World of Warcraft's 5.3 patch that's on the horizon? If so, Blizzard offers a handy preparation guide to help you get ready for it. Among the proffered hints is one to keep ahold of some of the currencies earned throughout patch 5.2 as the gear-upgrading Void Binders are returning. The guide offers a breakdown of associated costs for various gear and the different currencies. Also revealed is an 33% reduction in the XP needed to level from 85 to 90.

The guide continues with suggestions for item level requirements for various scenarios and dungeons, information on changes to lesser charms of good fortune, and an update on PvP Season 13. And if you haven't played in a while but intend to after the patch, save some time by making sure your game is up-to-date as well as any UI add-ons.

MassivelyPrepping for patch day in WoW originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (MJ Guthrie) activision Wed, 08 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/prepping-for-patch-day-in-wow/ Jukebox Heroes: Wrath of the Lich King's soundtrack http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/jukebox-heroes-wrath-of-the-lich-kings-soundtrack/ Filed under: , , , ,

Jukebox Heroes Wrath of the Lich King's soundtrack
After my so-so review of The Burning Crusade's score a few months ago, I'm sure a few of you thought I was barking mad. World of Warcraft is well-known for great orchestra pieces, but I stick by saying that most of the brilliant stuff stayed the heck away from Outland. Fortunately, the sound quality got a lot better when we went up north for Wrath of the Lich King in 2008.

The score was composed and arranged by Russell Brower, Derek Duke, Matt Uelmen, Neal Acree, and Glenn Stafford. As to be expected by that name sandwich, the score features a lot of variety. While there are epic chants and the like that are to be expected from WoW, there's also a lonely, savage feel to the music that represents these far-off lands. There's also a lot of blowing wind that segues between tracks if you listen to the album straight through, and if that doesn't make you envision a snow-blasted landscape, I don't know what would.

The liner notes say that "this is the music of ice and despair, a dirge and a call to arms." I couldn't put it better myself. Let's dive into my picks for the best tracks from this score, shall we?

Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Wrath of the Lich King's soundtrack

MassivelyJukebox Heroes: Wrath of the Lich King's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) activision Tue, 07 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/jukebox-heroes-wrath-of-the-lich-kings-soundtrack/ Patch 5.3 is bringing new scenarios and Heroic modes to World of Warcraft http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/patch-5-3-is-bringing-new-scenarios-and-heroic-modes-to-world-of/ Filed under: , , , , , , ,

WoW
World of Warcraft players, rejoice! Blizzard has released a sneak peek at patch 5.3 and some of the goodies it contains. The incoming patch will include four new scenarios, all with Heroic mode, and add Heroic mode to two scenarios that have already been released.

The first of the new scenarios, a story-driven fight to protect the Dwarven capital, will bring players in to teach some warring clans about the magic of friendship and cooperation. Over in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, players will come to the aid of some Goblin engineers who have delved too greedily and too deep. Players will also get to fight alongside the Bilgewater Cartel's elite Gob Squad as it tracks down a mysterious threat in Ragefire. Lastly, players will take to the high seas to prove the naval superiority of their faction.

These four new scenarios will come with a Heroic difficult mode; two existing scenarios (Crypt of Forgotten Kings and A Brewing Storm) will also benefit from some Heroicness. You'll need an item level of 480 and some friends to queue for these modes.

MassivelyPatch 5.3 is bringing new scenarios and Heroic modes to World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 May 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Elisabeth Cardy) activision Thu, 02 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/patch-5-3-is-bringing-new-scenarios-and-heroic-modes-to-world-of/ One Shots: Thar be dragons http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/one-shots-thar-be-dragons/ Filed under: , , , , , , ,

One Shots Thar be dragons
It would be a rare fantasy MMO that didn't have a posse of dragons roaming the land (or flying through the skies), and Guild Wars 2 certainly does not break that trend. It doesn't mean that going head-to-head with one is any less intimidating, however.

Reader Paul sent in this little meet-and-greet with Puff, saying it was when his Asuran Mesmer first encountered a dragon. Let's just hope he remained alive to have a second encounter. Asurans often look like popcorn chicken to dragonkind.

It's not just flying lizards in this week's One Shots! What wonders await you, I wonder?

Continue reading One Shots: Thar be dragons

MassivelyOne Shots: Thar be dragons originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) activision Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/one-shots-thar-be-dragons/ World of Warcraft Battle Chest on sale for $10 http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/world-of-warcraft-battle-chest-on-sale-for-10/ Filed under: , , , ,

You, too, can experience being a blood elf death knight like every other death knight.
Are you one of the five people on the planet who does not own World of Warcraft in some form? It's kind of been a big deal for the past several years. Having established that you do not already own the game, would you like to pick up the base game plus the first two expansions on the cheap? Even cheaper than their normal prices, that is? Because you have a chance to pick up the whole shebang for just $10 this week.

Normally the World of Warcraft Battle Chest bundle costs $20, but until April 23rd you can pick the whole thing up for half of that. The game also has a free trial you can play if you don't want to take the risk of buying the game without knowing if you'll like it, although at $10 it's almost cheaper to just bite the bullet.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft Battle Chest on sale for $10 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Eliot Lefebvre) activision Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/world-of-warcraft-battle-chest-on-sale-for-10/ Hearthstone video pits mage against shaman http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/hearthstone-video-pits-mage-against-shaman/ Filed under: , , ,

Hearthstone video pits mage against shaman
If you're interested in Blizzard's upcoming Hearthstone CCG and have about 10 minutes to spare, your time could be put to worse use than by watching the following video. Said video features a match-up between a Mage player and a Shaman player as they duel with all manner of nasty cards, totems, and surprises.

A narrator attempts to give a play-by-play as the action flows thick and furious, giving us a deeper insight into how Hearthstone plays and what strategies players might use in the future. Give it a watch after the break, and don't forget to read our own hands-on with the title!

Continue reading Hearthstone video pits mage against shaman

MassivelyHearthstone video pits mage against shaman originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) activision Fri, 12 Apr 2013 22:30:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/hearthstone-video-pits-mage-against-shaman/ Research firm says Dota 2 tops League of Legends [Updated] http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/10/research-firm-says-dota-2-tops-league-of-legends/ Filed under: , , , , ,

Dota 2 surpasses League of Legends in the west
Look out League of Legends: You've just been knocked down to second place. DFC Intelligence has determined that Valve's Dota 2 is now the most-played online game in the North America and Europe, with LoL in the number two spot and World of Warcraft in a distant third.

DFC made this claim based on its PC Game Meter service, which draws data from multiple sources. The service does not include browser and casual games in its report.

Update: Riot Games contacted us to say that DFC has retracted the report press release. GamesIndustry also posted the following update: "According to a Riot Games spokesperson, League of Legends sees 'over 500,000 peak concurrent players every day on just the EU West shard,' which doesn't even touch on players in the United States. This is contrasted with the 325,879 players that Valve's Steamgraph shows as the all-time high for Dota 2 beta."

MassivelyResearch firm says Dota 2 tops League of Legends [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) activision Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/10/research-firm-says-dota-2-tops-league-of-legends/ The Soapbox: You can't go back again http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/the-soapbox-you-cant-go-back-again/ Filed under: , , ,

The Soapbox You can't go back again
Returning to an old MMO love is a tradition for us vets, isn't it? I see people doing it a lot, and I'm certainly not immune to giving in to these whims. It usually starts out mild: hearing a friend talk about the game, remembering a good time you had in it, or seeing a big chunk of shiny new content come down the pike. Suddenly you've signed up again and logging in like you never left. It feels so familiar.

It feels so alien.

And that's when you realize: You really can't go back again.

It's a dreadful realization, one that makes you lunge for the clock and attempt to turn back time with a sheer force of will. Stages of grief set in: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Sometimes you work in "snack food binge" in there as well. Why, you wonder, can't this be just like last time? It's a game, so why can't you recapture the same magic?

Continue reading The Soapbox: You can't go back again

MassivelyThe Soapbox: You can't go back again originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) activision Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/the-soapbox-you-cant-go-back-again/ Why World of Warcraft passed on April Fools' Day this year http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/why-world-of-warcraft-passed-on-april-fools-day-this-year/ Filed under: , , , ,

The fact that someone actually programmed this is enough cause to have hope for the future.
World of Warcraft usually puts together some pretty ornate pranks for the first of April. It's hard to forget about the console version of Molten Core, the Bard class, or the Tinfoil Hat. This year, fans were treated to... well, nothing. That's a pretty dramatic departure, and it prompted community manager Zarhym to take to the field and answer the obvious question about why no one got to have a laugh this year.

Zarhym explains that there were two main causes, the first being that the team simply hadn't come up with a joke that really stuck despite several ideas being bandied about. Add to that the fact that the team members usually responsible for assembling these jokes were otherwise occupied, and they were left without a joke and without people to implement the gag. So this year will go down as being sadly bereft of foolery from Blizzard.

MassivelyWhy World of Warcraft passed on April Fools' Day this year originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Eliot Lefebvre) activision Thu, 04 Apr 2013 22:30:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/why-world-of-warcraft-passed-on-april-fools-day-this-year/ BlizzCon's golden tickets going on sale in two batches http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/blizzcons-golden-tickets-going-on-sale-in-two-batches/ Filed under: , , ,

BlizzCon's golden tickets going on sale in two batches
Grabbing one of the year's hottest tickets will be a tricky prospect, especially considering how fast BlizzCon typically sells out. However, Blizzard is giving everyone a fair chance at grabbing one of these tickets by announcing the dates and times that they'll be going on sale.

Dates plural? Yes indeed! BlizzCon tickets will be sold in two batches, first on Wednesday, April 24th, at 10:00 p.m. EDT and second on Saturday, April 27th, at 1:00 p.m. EDT. The tickets for the two-day convention are $175, although if you want to package in the Children's Hospital benefit dinner with the show, you'll be looking at parting with $500.

The studio also assured fans that it will once again be selling virtual tickets to BlizzCon, although specifics regarding these have yet to come. BlizzCon is taking place on November 8th and 9th at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

MassivelyBlizzCon's golden tickets going on sale in two batches originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) action-rpg Thu, 04 Apr 2013 19:30:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/04/blizzcons-golden-tickets-going-on-sale-in-two-batches/ One Shots: Winning is half the battle http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/one-shots-winning-is-half-the-battle/ Filed under: , , , , , , ,

One Shots Winning is half the battle
If knowledge is half the battle, what's the other half? Winning, duh. It's certainly not flaky pastries or erotic roleplaying. You got to win the game's face off, and when you're done, you should pose for a commemorative photo like Reader Ralph here:

"This shot was taken just minutes from the end," he wrote to us. "After several fierce battles, our team of AFS soldiers succeeded in taking over the last Bane encampment! The Earth was ours again! WE WON! And then our universe winked out of existence, and Tabula Rasa was no more."

You won and you lost? Ralph, you officially broke the universe with that. Read on for more exciting player screenshots in today's edition of One Shots.

Continue reading One Shots: Winning is half the battle

MassivelyOne Shots: Winning is half the battle originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) activision Sun, 31 Mar 2013 15:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/one-shots-winning-is-half-the-battle/ The Perfect Ten: Cutest creatures http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/the-perfect-ten-cutest-creatures/ Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Perfect Ten Cutest creatures
I vividly remember a conversation I had with my then-girlfriend's parents back in 1996 about the potential of this growing "internet" phenomenon. With my limited understanding, I made it sound downright noble, a Library of Congress available at the fingertips of the average Joe or Jane. What I really should have said that it would be a tool for the distribution of pornography, nerd rage, and cute animal pictures.

I have no idea how big the cute animal picture industry is, but there have got to be millions of aspiring photographers daily who prod little baby critters with encouragement sticks in the hopes of eliciting a few "awws" out of strangers. Even when the serious business of MMOs came a-calling, cuteness infested fantasy lands near and far.

Whenever I see something absurdly cute in an MMO, I always smile because I know that somewhere, some uber-elite, way-too-serious player is developing facial tics from being in the same game world as it. So twitch away, as here are 10 of the cutest critters as seen in-game!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Cutest creatures

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Cutest creatures originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) activision Fri, 29 Mar 2013 01:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/the-perfect-ten-cutest-creatures/ The Soapbox: Dispelling the 'easy' myth http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/the-soapbox-dispelling-the-easy-myth/ Filed under: , , , , , , ,

The Easy Myth
A few weeks ago, I took a nice long look at World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. Then I wrote about it. My impressions, like most things on the internet, were met with both ardent agreement and defiant protest. Everyone has an opinion, especially when it comes to World of Warcraft -- some people love the game, some people hate it, and some give it a resounding "eh."

I don't mind people disagreeing with me. People react to games differently, and what works for me may not work for you. But there was one specific critique that rose, repeatedly, in the great debate raging in that article's comments section. A critique that, frankly, I cannot abide:

"World of Warcraft is too easy."

Continue reading The Soapbox: Dispelling the 'easy' myth

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Dispelling the 'easy' myth originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Mike Foster) Achievements Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/the-soapbox-dispelling-the-easy-myth/ PAX 2013: Hands-on with Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/23/pax-2013-hands-on-with-hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/ Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a brand-spankin'-new online collectible card game from Blizzard, announced just yesterday here at PAX East 2013. And since I love you guys soooo much, I took the time to stand in line to take a look for myself. It certainly had nothing to do with the fact that I flock to CCGs like a moth to flame. No sirree.

Of course, this isn't your traditional MMO, so it's difficult to write a traditional review, especially considering I was able to play only a single match (which I won by a landslide, thank you very much), so instead I'm just going to give y'all a rundown of how the game plays and let you draw your own conclusions. Shuffle your cards, cut your decks, and read on for the skinny on Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft.

Continue reading PAX 2013: Hands-on with Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

MassivelyPAX 2013: Hands-on with Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Mar 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Matt Daniel) activision Sun, 24 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/23/pax-2013-hands-on-with-hearthstone-heroes-of-warcraft/ World of Warcraft patch 5.3 rushes into a new battleground http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/23/world-of-warcraft-patch-5-3-rushes-into-a-new-battleground/ Filed under: , , , ,

World of Warcraft patch 53 rushes into a new battleground
With the World of Warcraft community adjusting to life after patch 5.2, Blizzard is revving up the engine to patch 5.3. The public test realm patch notes have become available, although the patch itself is not yet on the PTR.

Patch 5.3 looks to be a boon to PvP players, as it'll kick off a brand-new battleground: Gold Rush. Gold Rush takes place in Pandaria's Valley of the Four Winds and has both factions fighting for control over mines.

Other content coming in 5.3 is a new arena called Shado-Pan, four scenarios, heroic difficulty levels for scenarios, and adjustments to loot rolls. Our sister site WoW Insider has the full patch notes, so go check 'em out!

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft patch 5.3 rushes into a new battleground originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Mar 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]> no_email@example.com (Justin Olivetti) 5.2 Sat, 23 Mar 2013 22:00:00 GMT http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/23/world-of-warcraft-patch-5-3-rushes-into-a-new-battleground/