Some help for a noob

[Skandranon]

Do I just go in there from Westfall's entrance (to which I escorted the Traitor), or do I talk to the innkeeper in Stormridge, or what else do I have to do?

Going into the area to which you escorted the Traitor will get you into a fairly extensive "pre-instance" area: a world location (i.e., not instanced) full of elite mobs. Inside this pre-instance area is the portal to the actual instance: it appears as a glowing, swirling white bounded space. The Deadmines pre-instance area is fairly tangly and relatively long, but if you keep going down, you'll find the portal.

Usually the pre-instance area is kept relatively clear by the groups that keep sweeping through it on the way to the instance, but if it's not, you'll find it's a bit slow going, especially soloing at 24.

If I die, do I have to run to the body as usual, or does the instance end, or....?

If you die, you need only return to the instance portal. You will be resurrected the moment you step inside.

If I res at the cemetary, and deside to forget about it, do I have to reaquire the quest again? Can I even do it?

Quests cannot be permanently failed in WoW, and that's for failable quests. If you don't get the quest done the first time you go into the Deadmines, just go again, and again, and again. Instancing is only meant to keep other people out: you are not limited to one instance per lifetime of character.

What is the difference between a Dungeon and an Instance, as illustrated by the monster info shown here:
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There is no difference. The page you linked expresses monster locations two different ways through a quirk in the software.

[Ashock]

Thanks guys :)


-A

[SoulEdge]

Stockade in Stormwind is an easy way to see how an instance portal looks like without a lengthy pre-instance area full of elites, going through it and staying just there is relatively safe if you feel like popping in.

[Ashock]

Stockade in Stormwind is an easy way to see how an instance portal looks like without a lengthy pre-instance area full of elites, going through it and staying just there is relatively safe if you feel like popping in.
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Well, the mobs there are too high lvl for me I believe, and I want to smash some heads B)

However, if I can't get to the Deadmines easily enough, I might check it out. Thanks.



-A

[Ruvanal]

Stockade in Stormwind is an easy way to see how an instance portal looks like without a lengthy pre-instance area full of elites, going through it and staying just there is relatively safe if you feel like popping in.
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Be careful when looking there as there are at least semi-frequent prisoner breakouts on the step now.

[Ashock]

Ok, so now I am wielding an axe in my off-hand and a sword in my main. I have leveled the axe to the same level as my sword, but I noticed that often it hits for only 1/4-1/3 damage as compared to my main hand. I thought that it was only a matter of missing much of the time, not lower damage? My axe is actually somewhat higher in DPS and about the same in pure stat damage, so this is weird... unless of course there is an explanation.... I am beginning to think that maybe until much higher levels I might be better off with a nice 2-hander. Now, I am mowing down everything with no problem up to lvl 29 as long as it is one-on-one (I am 26) and have taken down some lvl 30s too without dying (but using a pot), but it seems like a nice 2-hander might be even better at least for now? Enlightenment is appreciated.


tia


-A


ps. Thanks to Mav for a "tour" of the Deadmines :)

[RTM]

Off-hand damage is reduced by 50%. There's a Fury tree talent (Dual-Wield spec) that bumps that to 75%.

[Skandranon]

Ok, so now I am wielding an axe in my off-hand and a sword in my main. I have leveled the axe to the same level as my sword, but I noticed that often it hits for only 1/4-1/3 damage as compared to my main hand. I thought that it was only a matter of missing much of the time, not lower damage? My axe is actually somewhat higher in DPS and about the same in pure stat damage, so this is weird... unless of course there is an explanation.... I am beginning to think that maybe until much higher levels I might be better off with a nice 2-hander. Now, I am mowing down everything with no problem up to lvl 29 as long as it is one-on-one (I am 26) and have taken down some lvl 30s too without dying (but using a pot), but it seems like a nice 2-hander might be even better at least for now? Enlightenment is appreciated.
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A two-hander might be better, but not for your auto-attack. To get two one-handers down to equal the damage of a two-hander in terms of auto-attack, Blizzard had to raise the miss rates to 24% for both hands as well as cutting the damage of the off-hand weapon in half. Equipping an appropriately leveled two-hander at this point shouldn't result in more auto-attack damage: you'll see bigger numbers and fewer misses, but you'll also swing a lot less frequently. Ultimately if you're just looking at auto-attack, things will work out just about the same.

Outside of auto-attack damage, however, warrior skills do, in general, favour two-handers. Overpower, for example, inflicts weapon damage plus a static modifier. If you're dual-wielding, "weapon damage" is the damage range of the weapon in your main hand: if you're using a two hander, "weapon damage" is the damage range of the two-handed weapon, which is always going to be larger than that of a one-handed weapon of approximately the same level. Slam, Cleave and Mortal Strike benefit from two-handers in the same way. As you reach higher levels, such special attacks will constitute an increasing amount of your damage: the difference will be small now, but greater in the future.

[Ashock]

A two-hander might be better, but not for your auto-attack.  To get two one-handers down to equal the damage of a two-hander in terms of auto-attack, Blizzard had to raise the miss rates to 24% for both hands as well as cutting the damage of the off-hand weapon in half.  Equipping an appropriately leveled two-hander at this point shouldn't result in more auto-attack damage: you'll see bigger numbers and fewer misses, but you'll also swing a lot less frequently.  Ultimately if you're just looking at auto-attack, things will work out just about the same.

Outside of auto-attack damage, however, warrior skills do, in general, favour two-handers.  Overpower, for example, inflicts weapon damage plus a static modifier.  If you're dual-wielding, "weapon damage" is the damage range of the weapon in your main hand: if you're using a two hander, "weapon damage" is the damage range of the two-handed weapon, which is always going to be larger than that of a one-handed weapon of approximately the same level.  Slam, Cleave and Mortal Strike benefit from two-handers in the same way.  As you reach higher levels, such special attacks will constitute an increasing amount of your damage: the difference will be small now, but greater in the future.
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Ok, then what is the point of dual-wielding at all? I have read several guides about dual-wielding from what looks like very experienced players. Rishiana's Guide to Fury touts dual-wield.... If there really is no benefit to dual-wield normally, is it just a question of doing it only with the right gear, meaning until you hit 60 and have appropriate gear it is pretty much just a matter of taste and more difficult to maintain with having to upgrade 2 slots instead of one?


Edit: Where is Darnassis, and can I get there without a mage's help and how?


Thanks.



-A

[Bun-Bun]

Edit: Where is Darnassis, and can I get there without a mage's help and how?
Thanks.
-A
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Darnassus is in Kalimdor, the other continent.

If you do not have access to Menethil Harbor:

Fly to Thalanar in Loch Modan. Take the road north through the mountain passes. You'll face some level 20 orcs - not a big deal. Continue through the passes until you emerge in the Wetlands. Follow the road to Menethil Harbor. Get the flight path.

Once in Menethil:

Take the boat on the right to Auberdine. Run over to the inn to get the flight path. Run back to the docks and take the other boat to Rutheran Village. Run uphill to and through the pink portal.

You're now in Darnassus. When heading back, grab the flight path in Rutheran Village back to Aub - it's faster than the boat.

[Ashock]

Darnassus is in Kalimdor, the other continent.

If you do not have access to Menethil Harbor:

Fly to Thalanar in Loch Modan. Take the road north through the mountain passes. You'll face some level 20 orcs - not a big deal. Continue through the passes until you emerge in the Wetlands. Follow the road to Menethil Harbor. Get the flight path.

Once in Menethil:

Take the boat on the right to Auberdine. Run over to the inn to get the flight path. Run back to the docks and take the other boat to Rutheran Village. Run uphill to and through the pink portal.

You're now in Darnassus. When heading back, grab the flight path in Rutheran Village back to Aub - it's faster than the boat.
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Thanks. Oh and what's in Darnassus? Good quests?


-A

[Bun-Bun]

Thanks. Oh and what's in Darnassus? Good quests?
-A
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There are a number of quest lines that go through there, but not many start there. It's worth visiting the Argent Dawn NPCs if you're going to do the Blackfathom Deeps instance (late 20's as I recall). There are a couple of feather-gathering quests out of Rutheran Village, but not until level 40 or so.

If you want to find the Argent Dawn in Darn, ask a guard for the Alchemy trainer, find that trainer, then go one level up in that building.

Other than that, it's pretty, has a weapons trainer with a different selection of weapon skills, the usual class and profession trainers, and the closest bank to Auberdine. And if you go to the top of the tree in the Cenarion Enclave, you can meet the winner of the Most Annoying NPC Award, the Archdruid, who will tell you to dig dirt once you're level 50.

It's also the city to dump excess cloth for rep so you can someday ride a cat instead of a horse, if that is something that interests you.

[Kevin]

Ok, then what is the point of dual-wielding at all? I have read several guides about dual-wielding from what looks like very experienced players. Rishiana's Guide to Fury touts dual-wield.... If there really is no benefit to dual-wield normally, is it just a question of doing it only with the right gear, meaning until you hit 60 and have appropriate gear it is pretty much just a matter of taste and more difficult to maintain with having to upgrade 2 slots instead of one?
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Dual weild will generally allow a protection spec (assuming they have 1H weapon spec) to do more damage than using a 2 Hander.

Bloodthirst in the fury tree is based on your attack power, not your weapon damage so weapon speed and damage range don't matter for that attack either.

Dual weild has a smoother rage generation curve than using a big two hander. Even when I knew I wanted to use a two hander I would often dual weild to build rage then swap to the big 2 Hander to dump it out. I've even toyed with this with my current MS build.

When I was leveling my warrior I had horrible luck in finding a good 2 hander for most of his leveling career and since I generally don't rerun instances to get some specific item (I run them for the quests then move on) or spend money on the AH or even twink all that much I usually did more damage with a dual wield than I did with a two hander because my one handed weapons were just better.

The other factor is that dual wield will generally generate more rage for you. Your white damage is in general higher (even though the changes were made to try and keep it in line with same level 2 handers, and especially so with 1H weapon spec) with dual weild than a 2 hander (but it is all gear dependent) so you generate rage faster. Your rage using skills don't hit as hard but they do land faster.

But yeah in the end it is generally a matter of taste, spec, and what you find for gear. It was designed that way so one type of warrior wasn't clearly better than another.

[Ashock]

Thanks, all.


-A

[Ashock]

New question.


I've been reading some quest walkthroughs and they mention increasing your Stormwind reputation. How important is that? What does it do?


Thanks.



-A

[Skandranon]

New question.
I've been reading some quest walkthroughs and they mention increasing your Stormwind reputation. How important is that? What does it do?
Thanks.
-A
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Reputation increases for any faction in the game tend to carry a few minor benefits. Stormwind reputation increases a lot because many of the early-game quests, especially around the Deadmines, include Stormwind rep boosts.

You begin Friendly with Stormwind. This means that Stormwind faction NPCs appear green to you (that's it). After gaining 6000 reputation points, you reach Honored reputation. At this level of reputation, all Stormwind faction vendors sell goods to you at 90% of the original cost. 12000 reputation points after that, you reach Revered reputation (carries no benefits at present) and 21000 points after that, you reach Exalted reputation, which, if you're not human, allows you to learn horse riding and buy horses (humans can do it from the start).

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/basi...ation.html has more details on reputations with specific factions and the associated benefits.

[Ashock]

Reputation increases for any faction in the game tend to carry a few minor benefits.  Stormwind reputation increases a lot because many of the early-game quests, especially around the Deadmines, include Stormwind rep boosts.

You begin Friendly with Stormwind.  This means that Stormwind faction NPCs appear green to you (that's it).  After gaining 6000 reputation points, you reach Honored reputation.  At this level of reputation, all Stormwind faction vendors sell goods to you at 90% of the original cost.  12000 reputation points after that, you reach Revered reputation (carries no benefits at present) and 21000 points after that, you reach Exalted reputation, which, if you're not human, allows you to learn horse riding and buy horses (humans can do it from the start). 

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/basi...ation.html  has more details on reputations with specific factions and the associated benefits.
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Thanks.

Also, is Darnassus in Teldrasill? I've taken a boat from the Wetlands town, and walked around a bit, but I'm not even sure where I am except that I'm on an island, but so is Gilligan. Is there a special portal? I do not see it on the interactive map. Can I take another boat from the island to explore that whole other continet?

Also, what is Argent Dawn, aside from the description on Blizz's site? Can you join it? Is it for PvP...etc, etc.


tia



-A

[Warlock]

With good equipment, dual wield is better for autoattack damage than a two hander, but it has disadvantages.

The good:
- Your attack power counts for more. If you have 140 Attack Power, a two-hand user gets +10 damage per second; a dual wield user gets +10 damage per second on the main hand and +5 on the off hand. The higher miss rate counters this a bit but not completely - net is about 20% more damage per point of attack power you have.
- You get a second item to enchant
- Using Heroic Strike doesn't slow your rage generation as much (since you lose the rage generated by single main hand swing, not a single two handed swing)
- Using Heroic Strike is a little better than the numbers shown because it turns the attack into a special attack which does not have the miss rate penalty
- specials that depend on an attack critting or being dodged will be available more often

The bad:
- Special attacks that include weapon damage as a component will do less damage.
- Specials that apply for a given number of swings will do less damage.
- you generally get a few less total stats on two one handers than on a two hander of equivalent quality.

[Bun-Bun]

Thanks.

Also, is Darnassus in Teldrasill? I've taken a boat from the Wetlands town, and walked around a bit, but I'm not even sure where I am except that I'm on an island, but so is Gilligan. Is there a special portal? I do not see it on the interactive map. Can I take another boat from the island to explore that whole other continet?

I'm not even sure where you are from your description. If you're in Auberdine, you're on the other continent, Kalimdor. This is where the boat from Menethil drops you off. To get to Darnassus (which is in Teldrassil, the World Tree) you have to take the other boat on the opposite end of the dock to Rutheran Village, where the portal is.

If you're already in Rutheran, the portal should be pretty obvious. It's big and pink.

Also, what is Argent Dawn, aside from the description on Blizz's site? Can you join it? Is it for PvP...etc, etc.
tia
-A
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The Argent Dawn is a group of NPCs that are dedicated to fighing the Scourge. They can't be joined, but you can gain reputation with them and eventually they will sell you good food and some crafting recipes.

[Ashock]

I'm not even sure where you are from your description. If you're in Auberdine, you're on the other continent, Kalimdor. This is where the boat from Menethil drops you off. To get to Darnassus (which is in Teldrassil, the World Tree) you have to take the other boat on the opposite end of the dock to Rutheran Village, where the portal is.

If you're already in Rutheran, the portal should be pretty obvious. It's big and pink.
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I took a boat out of Menethil Harbor. Is there more than 1 destination from there?
If I am in Auberdine, then I can take another boat to Rutheran Village?


-A

ps. Thanks for the info, Warlock.