Q&A 3/10/04

[Balandar]

Will we be able to visit the old deep sea oil rigs and foundries that existed in WarCraft II?

Even though it’s been well over 20 years since the time of WarCraft II, a vast array of historical sites can still be discovered. After so many years of war many of these places have become ruins. Some of the landmarks you might sight are ancient guard towers, abandoned oil refineries, ogre mounds etc.

Can players visit the Outland?

Players can visit the Outland once it becomes available. The Outland will become available through players summoning the Dark Portal. This will be a server-wide, world altering event. Once the portal is opened .. it will remain opened for good, allowing all players’ access to the Outland.

Can we go to Quel'Thalas?

Quel’Thalas will not initially be available however there are lands in place that border Quel’Thalas.

What famous places can we expect to see?

Some of the famous places that you can expect to see are Blackrock Spire where Lord Lothar was defeated, Mount Hyjal where the Burning Legion invaded the world and the Ruins of Lordaeron’s capital city where Prince Arthas murdered his father.

Do High Elves still exist or are they all Blood Elves now?

There are definitely still High Elves left in the world, although not many. Most of these are scattered along the borders of Quel’Thalas.

It’s important to know that the transformation from High Elf to Blood Elf is not physica in nature but is instead an ideological change. While the majority High Elves made the cross over to become Blood Elves, there is a small handful of High Elves that hold true to their original identities.

Including jewelry, will all equipped items be visible on our characters?

Most equipped items will be visible. At this time however, jewelry can not be seen without viewing a player’s paper doll.

Will the ammunition for ranged weapons have to be replaced?

Yes, the ammunition used for ranged weapons will be consumed as you use it. Ammo is inexpensive and sold in stacks of 100.

Will there be throwing weapons in the game and will these weapons be lost after they are thrown?

Both throwing daggers and axes are currently available. Like ammunition, throwing weapons are consumed as they are used. Likewise, they are inexpensive and purchased in stacks of 100.

Will there be more than one type of ammo for each ranged weapon?

Yes. Ranged damage is calculated by both the damage done with the weapon and damage done with the ammunition. Our plan is to have a variety of ammo types available for each weapon. For example, Engineers have the ability to craft various qualities of bullets and many vendors sell ammo of varying grades as well.

Do you need Alchemy and Herbalism to create poisons as a Rogue?

The Rogue’s poison ability is learned directly from their trainers. Like a tradeskill, poisoning does use recipes to create its deadly poisons; however, it is not a tradeskill and is instead a rogue only ability.

Alchemy will have no bearing on poisoning. A rogue might wish to explore Herbalism as some, but not all, of their recipes will require herbs. It’s also important to note that poison recipes will require a variety of ingredients which are bought from vendors, found on creature corpses and cultivated via the Herbalism skill.

What is the difference between the Warlock spell “Find Herbs” and the “Herbalism” skill?

Warlocks do not have a spell called “Find Herbs.” “Find Herbs” is a skill that comes as part of your apprenticeship in the field of Herbalism -- it’s used to … well … help you find herbs.

I understand that Voidwalker pets lose life over time and Infernal pets are only brief summons. How long do they last? How often do they need to be resummoned?

Neither the Voidwalker nor the Infernal lose health over time. Both will remain with the Warlock until killed, unsummoned or the Warlock dies/logs out of the game.

Is the Imp still a useful pet to the Warlock at higher levels?

The Imp will continue to be a strong pet through all of the Warlock’s life due to its keen buffing abilities. This is especially true in group play as the Imp will automatically buff all members of the party and continue to refresh these buffs when needed.

Can we get an update/more information on racial benefits and abilities?

The racial trait system is currently being reworked. No updates at this time.

Will I be able to drop stuff on the ground so that someone else can pick it up?

Items can not be dropped on the ground for others to pick up. Items can be destroyed, traded or placed in bags and banks.

Are they still planning on eventually adding player housing?

Housing is still planned for after ship and is in early design which basically means that it’s currently a concept, a concept that continues to change and be modified. When we have a better idea on the scope of the project, we can better determine when housing will be released.

Will your mount appearances be customizable or will they all look alike?

There will be many varieties of mounts to choose from. Shopping around isn’t a bad idea if you are trying to find one that looks a certain way.

Do instanced dungeons automatically respawn after they are cleared out or does a new instance need to be entered to fight them again?

This really depends on the dungeon. As an example, Wailing Caverns in the Barrens does not automatically respawn while Shadowfang Keep in Silverpine Forest is set to continually respawn as it is cleared.

~Kat