Patch 1.4.0 out

[TheDragoon]

EDIT: "Send PM" not "Reply!"

[Kevin]

Heh, I don't intend to log on right away when the servers come up as I have a final tonight.  Good luck to you all in the first few hours though :unsure:

- mjdoom
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I wish I wouldn't have.

I turned in the "Beginnings of the Undead Threat" that you get out of Scarlet Monestary to the Historian in Undercity. The Eastern Kingdoms crashed shortly after that. I got back on, had credit for the quest and was on the next step to go back to the guy in Thousand Needles. I landed in Freewind Post, and there were no NPC's. Server was shutdown shortly after that. I couldn't log out even though trying so I sat on the ground for 15 minutes till the server shut down (alt tabed out to read here during the time). I get back on a few minutes ago after finding Stormrage unplayable (at least in the Hinterlands) and go to talk to the guy in the cave in 1K Needles. He doesn't want to talk to me. I check my quest log. It wants me to get the book from the Monestary again. So I lost a quest and have to go back into an instance to get it done again. Bleh.

[Mirajj]

It wants me to get the book from the Monestary again.  So I lost a quest and have to go back into an instance to get it done again.  Bleh.
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Same here. I completed all the Zul'Farrak quests except for the Troll Temper and the last one...but they are all back in my quest log now. =/

[LochnarITB]

The final Patch Notes don't have anything about it that I saw.
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Players can no longer kill creatures with ranged attacks while the mobs are unable to damage the player when standing atop the cauldrons in Eastern Plaguelands.

Hmmm.. I reported a bug here but it was almost the opposite of what they say they fixed. When you were completing the cauldron quests, you could be on the cauldron platform and monsters could aggro you from the other side and then move inside the cauldron and attack without you being able to even target them. I wonder if that was fixed.

Fixed a bug where weapon skills were inappropriately capped at 5 times level. Characters should now gain benefit from weapon skill bonuses beyond their normal cap.

Does this mean you can now skill weapons past level*5? I never knew this was a bug and thought it was working as intended.

Well, guess I better go see for myself what has been broken. I didn't even think about it being a possible patch day. I ended up doing other stuff but now that I'm done, I guess I'll have to do the dreaded patch. Part of what I was doing was chasing down extensions after updating Firefox to 1.0.3 so doing another patch gone wrong is not going to be fun. :(

[MongoJerry]

Does this mean you can now skill weapons past level*5?  I never knew this was a bug and thought it was working as intended.

You can get items that give you a bonuses to your weapon skills and some races have special bonuses to certain weapon skills. I believe the bug was that basically your weapon skill was capped at level*5 even if you had such bonuses. That is, at level 60, your weapon skill would be at most 300 even if you had items that should have brought you above 300 skill.

As far as the patch goes, Tichondrius has been doing pretty well stability-wise, although I did see some people get suddenly dropped but never where I was. As you can imagine, Tichondrius is a total war zone now. Every high level flight path have raid-level wars going on around them. It's quite insane. Hella fun, too. I avoided Hillsbrad myself, since I didn't want to experience that level of lag. Instead, I joined up with a group fighting in the Western Plaguelands zone in the area around Andorhol, Chillwind Camp, and the Bulwark. I have 75 honorable kills listed in my Honor tab. Of course, I was in a large raid, so that's not really as impressive as it sounds.

I also went on a 5-man run of Scholomance. Some of the encounters have changed subtlely. The gargoyle guy is tougher with a knockback attack and the ability to charm players. Also, in the room past the summoning room, one of the caster mobs now has some kind of freezing ice block ability. The loot's pretty nice now, too. I got a mantle that gives me +19 int and +26 to all spells.

Anderhol looks totally different now. It's no longer walled and ruins are in different places. Also, it doesn't seem as densely populated as it was before.

All my +healing spells items got a 10% boost and all the +all magic items got an even bigger boost -- around 33%.

[Quark]

I also went on a 5-man run of Scholomance.  Some of the encounters have changed subtlely.  The gargoyle guy is tougher with a knockback attack and the ability to charm players.  Also, in the room past the summoning room, one of the caster mobs now has some kind of freezing ice block ability.  The loot's pretty nice now, too.  I got a mantle that gives me +19 int and +26 to all spells.
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I think that was all previously there. It's why kept the Ice-Block guys CC'd until we could solo them. It's also why Flyndar took a trip to Western Plaguelands - after getting knocked out of the window :(

[Treesh]

As you can imagine, Tichondrius is a total war zone now.  Every high level flight path have raid-level wars going on around them.  It's quite insane.  Hella fun, too.  I avoided Hillsbrad myself, since I didn't want to experience that level of lag.  Instead, I joined up with a group fighting in the Western Plaguelands zone in the area around Andorhol, Chillwind Camp, and the Bulwark.  I have 75 honorable kills listed in my Honor tab.  Of course, I was in a large raid, so that's not really as impressive as it sounds.
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It's not just the PvP servers. The PvE servers are having massive raids now as well. Woe be unto those who are trying to quest in the neighboring areas. Ironforge now has less lag than many of the places that border on the raids. I was trying to quest in the hinterlands, but there was a raid going on somewhere in a neighboring province (or whatever you want to call the different areas like Arathi or Stranglethorn Vale). Putting in Honor without putting in Battlegrounds at the same time has really hurt those of us just trying to quest. I do have to say I get a chuckle out of hearing Alliance say "There's a massive amount of horde at the Crossroads!" though. And them complaining about Horde raiding Astranaar. It's about time Horde started fighting back against all the Alliance raids. :D

[savaughn]

It's about time Horde started fighting back against all the Alliance raids. :D
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One of my favorite things about Azgalor and Dethecus is that they have a practically dead even alliance/horde population which makes these kind of dynamics much better. Stormrage has more than double the alliance population over horde (about 2.3:1). Tich is alliance favored (1.3:1) but it's nowhere near as bad as Stormrage.

For anyone who's curious, Eonar has the worst balance (more than 6x more alliance than horde) and Firetree is the most horde favored server (about 1.5:1).

[Bolty]

It's not just the PvP servers.  The PvE servers are having massive raids now as well.[right][snapback]74569[/snapback][/right]

Boy, you got that right. Day 1 of the Honor System on Stormrage went about what I expected - all-out chaos! I was happily amused by the events of the night (and that they somehow surprised anyone). All those bored level 60's first ran to get their new Epic Mounts (crowds formed near each vendor of them) and then formed raids to hit enemy towns.

I figure it'll take a week or two for people to realize that they can rack up more Honor via small-party PvP rather than big raids, where each kill's credit is so diluted that it doesn't get you far. Until then, the huge town raids will be the norm.

Orgrimarr, Darnassus, the Crossroads, Ashenvale, Arathi Highlands, and more were all subject to huge raids on both sides. I stopped over in Darnassus and saw bodies littering the ground. All of this makes me happy as a clam. Maybe next time I go /pvp flagged and pick a fight in a crowd of people, I won't get slammed by 5 Horde while 20 Alliance stand there and watch. While the Honor System makes things even harder for non-60's on a PvP server, it makes things much more interesting on a PvE server, since there's more to do end-game now.

I've read complaints of some that this new system works against casual gamers. That's not really true - it's just that it's the first system in the game that doesn't cater to them in any small way, so it seems like that. PvP Honor rewards cater purely to the hardcore gamers, those who dedicate huge chunks of their lives to the game. Someone with a steady job and family will never be able to climb above the first few PvP ranks, so they're mad. I don't understand this attitude, even though I myself could never hope to get above the first few ranks either.

WoW needed a mechanism to keep the hardcore around, and now it has it. They can pit themselves against their fellow hardcores to get those top PvP ranks - and then fight to keep them. Without this system, hardcores would leave WoW in droves (and some already had).

One valid concern that casual players have is that they will have fewer opportunities to run high-level instances when they eventually get to them, because the hardcores will be out PvP'ing. This is true. But then again, those hardcores probably wouldn't still be playing WoW by the time the casuals got there anyway, having moved on to the next game of choice. So it's a toss-up there, in my opinion.

The equipment that high Honor ranks provides you isn't really any better than that found in the high-level instances and raids - it's just that it's geared towards PvP play while the general stuff is geared towards general play. This is even more positive feedback for hardcore PvP'ers - kill more enemies, and get better equipment to help you kill more enemies - along with the "WOW you have the l337 itamz!" attention they crave.

What's amusing to me is something that is inevitable: high-rank PvP Honor players on PvP servers will start putting down high-rank PvP Honor players on PvE servers. Let's see who does it first. :) They might not be aware of the counter-argument: that on a PvE server, you're basically always letting your opponent, who is unflagged, get in the first shot - plus you lack the ability to just gank any level 50-55 you see walking around, which will be done in droves on PvP servers to rack up Honor points. Who's got more actual skill, then? Hmm. It can be said that the PvP server ruleset simply allows you to rack up easy Honor that a PvE server ruleset forbids.

Anyway, I really feel for level 50 players on PvP servers right now. At 50, you are green to level 60's and represent an honorable kill, yet you have no chance of fighting back. After level 50, you're forced to hide in instances or walk around with a bunch of 60's to protect you. Ugh.

Expect more devious and fun PvP action on Stormrage. Expect traps. When you see that level 30-40 player, alone, flagged, in the middle of the road...guess how many stealthed level 60's are waiting for you to take the bait? This is something that works very well on a PvE server to sucker people into flagging themselves. Heck, I'd love to do it myself and waste some Horde scum with such a scheme. More ingenious ploys will no doubt be developed as well, and I can't wait to see them.

Go go Honor System!

-Bolty

[Tal]

I've been trying to figure something out about the Honor System. I was flagged last night when I got attacked by a level 34 druid (I was level 37). After the initial entangling and moonfire I was able to attack back and began winning. The druid at that point entangled me and ran off. Before I had gotten untangled and in pursuit the hamstring wore off and the druid made good of his escape. Unfortunately from what I can see the honor system only awards points if you kill an opponent. I should have gotten points for making an opponent flee before me. ;)

Its all good though because shortly after a mage hit me with a fireball (not a icebolt) and then completely failed to kite me resulting in a very short fight with an execute finisher. ;)

[MongoJerry]

What's amusing to me is something that is inevitable: high-rank PvP Honor players on PvP servers will start putting down high-rank PvP Honor players on PvE servers.  Let's see who does it first.  :)  They might not be aware of the counter-argument: that on a PvE server, you're basically always letting your opponent, who is unflagged, get in the first shot - plus you lack the ability to just gank any level 50-55 you see walking around, which will be done in droves on PvP servers to rack up Honor points.  Who's got more actual skill, then?  Hmm.  It can be said that the PvP server ruleset simply allows you to rack up easy Honor that a PvE server ruleset forbids.

PvEers are so cute when they talk about PvP. It's almost like they think they actually have it on their servers. "No, really! I can PvP!" Yes, yes, now go back to your room and play.

Regarding all the stuff you were saying, Bolty, for one thing, you'll need a *lot* more kills on a PvP server to get to the higher ranks, because a larger part of the player population will have kills. Regarding level 50's, yeah, it's going to be tough on them. However, they're hardly helpless. People should and will learn to group up, and two level 50's can kill a level 60 player. I definitely forsee even more heavy battles happening outside of all of the instances. I'll bet that's where people will pick up most of their kills. It'd take less time to get kills there than running around hunting down level 50's.

[savaughn]

PvEers are so cute when they talk about PvP.  It's almost like they think they actually have it on their servers.  "No, really!  I can PvP!"  Yes, yes, now go back to your room and play.
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:lol: Agreed. I can't quest without engaging in PvP and it's just escalated out over the top. No more /wave /bow routine if the levels are about equal. Now, it's pretty much KOS. Unless you're gray, it's game on and the fight or flight mechanism is in full effect.

I'm picking up PvP kills about the same speed that I'm leveling my gathering skill... and not really by choice! :blush:

[Tal]

What's amusing to me is something that is inevitable: high-rank PvP Honor players on PvP servers will start putting down high-rank PvP Honor players on PvE servers.  Let's see who does it first.  :)

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PvEers are so cute when they talk about PvP.  It's almost like they think they actually have it on their servers.  "No, really!  I can PvP!"  Yes, yes, now go back to your room and play.
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Guess that answers that question. :rolleyes:

[Bolty]

Guess that answers that question.  :rolleyes:
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Heh, yep, Mongo won. :)

Anyway, the Blizzard forums are blazing now with complaints. If you're on a PvP server and you're level 60, life is good. Otherwise, you are so beyond screwed it's not even funny. Reading some of the stories in those threads doesn't surprise me in the slightest, but still saddens me. Flightpaths guarded by 10 players so that the moment you land, you're dead (despite the fact that this doesn't give any honor points). Whole zones that are unusable for anyone levels 55 and below. The fact that once you're level 48, you are nothing but meat for 60's to score honor on.

Real PvP will be on the Battlegrounds.

-Bolty

[Tal]

Anyway, the Blizzard forums are blazing now with complaints.  If you're on a PvP server and you're level 60, life is good.  Otherwise, you are so beyond screwed it's not even funny.  Reading some of the stories in those threads doesn't surprise me in the slightest, but still saddens me.  Flightpaths guarded by 10 players so that the moment you land, you're dead (despite the fact that this doesn't give any honor points).  Whole zones that are unusable for anyone levels 55 and below.  The fact that once you're level 48, you are nothing but meat for 60's to score honor on.

Real PvP will be on the Battlegrounds.

-Bolty
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Yar can't say as I was surprised either. I think another poster summed it up best when they described it as a shark feeding frenzy. ;) I got killed by four level 60s just after I made my even-con mage kill. It would have been nice is if those guys had earned dishonor points to persuade them to hunt players closer to their level. What WAS entertaining was that I stated in General that a group of 60s were guarding my corpse - moments later 10 alliance 60s roared in for a battle royale. I didn't take any chances and rezz'd when PvP had worn off. I figure I'll take a couple of days to let the 60s figure out what kind of kills actually garner them points and maybe resume my hunt for honor points. :)

[ima_nerd]

they described it as a shark feeding frenzy.

I'm just taking this oppurtunity to level up all of my low level alts that are still in home territory. I knew that honor without BGs was bad but I think Blizz wants honor to be working and final before BGs come out. Besides, it's not like they have a test server to test it out on. Oh, wait...

[MongoJerry]

Real PvP will be on the Battlegrounds.

I can't agree with you more there. It's stupid that they introduced the honor system without battlegrounds. What was fun about playing on the PvP server was that you could still outdoor quest while still having those occational spontaneous PvP battles to spice things up. Before, most of the bored level 60's ran instances over and over (or started alts or stopped playing altogether), so they were mostly occupied out of the main world. This limited PvP battles to areas near instance portals, on the trail toward instance portals, or in areas where people generally questing the same area (and therefore were roughly the same level) had skirmishes. Now the honor system just dumped a huge load of bored 60's out all over the outdoor areas. You just might as well forget questing in either of the Plaguelands, Winterspring, and I assume Felwood, Un'Goro Crater and Silithus. And as if it wasn't hard enough for Horde players to quest in Hillsbrad, they might as well just forget the zone altogether now. Blizzard has got to introduce Battlegrounds as quickly as possible just to get those bored level 60's out of the outdoor world. Yes, it'll still be more viscious on the PvP servers than it was before the patch, but at least the situation could then stabilize to something a little more reasonable.

There are still things I really like about the PvP server even in its current shark frenzy state. I'm just waiting for the next time Azuregos appears. Before, things were frenetic as it was with battles of 120-150 people either trying to kill Azuregos or trying to prevent Azuregos from being killed. (Both so that they could have the hope of stealing the tap and because they just don't want the other faction to have the honor and loot from the kill). With the PvP system in place now, it's going to be insane, because people will show up just to rack up PvP points. I'll bet at least 300 people will show up once word leaks out about Azuregos being up. Of course, the end result will always be the same -- a server crash -- but it'll still be insane to be a part of it.

[Occhidiangela]

Yar can't say as I was surprised either. I think another poster summed it up best when they described it as a shark feeding frenzy. ;) I got killed by four level 60s just after I made my even-con mage kill. It would have been nice is if those guys had earned dishonor points to persuade them to hunt players closer to their level. What WAS entertaining was that I stated in General that a group of 60s were guarding my corpse - moments later 10 alliance 60s roared in for a battle royale. I didn't take any chances and rezz'd when PvP had worn off. I figure I'll take a couple of days to let the 60s figure out what kind of kills actually garner them points and maybe resume my hunt for honor points. :)
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We'll see what my son has to say about this on his PvE server.

Game might be coming off the box.

Occhi

[Quark]

Sub-thread for undocumented changes?

First: Casting-time increases no longer affect spells made instants through talents. So sayeth Eyonix after much uproar occured. So Curse of Tongues and Mind Numbing Poison no longer un-instant Improved Arcane Explosion. I'm trying to understand why the was both necessary and undocumented.

It's also really strange that this wasn't reported on the Test servers. Either these "testers" are worthless or Blizzard's making changes in the background.

[Trien]

Worg pups (and I'm guessing the spider as well) were nerfed *cries*

They no longer run to attack in PvP and duels for the little 1 damage per hit that they used to do. Guess it would keep rogues from vanishing and all ... but, c'mon, it was cute to watch!