The Queue: Proving grounds, good warlocks, bags, and more

Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today.

I'll let today's questions speak for themselves. Onwards!

sergel92 asked:

Any word on Proving grounds? All i heard was that it's for patch 5.4, but I haven't heard any news on it.

It's going to be in patch 5.4 but isn't available on the PTR yet. From all indications, it's still coming. As soon as it hits the PTR, we'll be all over it.

T0MMY6UN asked:

Is it possible to be a good warlock? Can you use the nether powers for good instead of evil??

I don't see why not. All of our player characters would usually fall on the "good" end of that spectrum, as far as Warcraft morality goes. Most examples of warlocks in lore are evil, but the player characters are employing evil things to accomplish good. Most of the time.

slothcloctimus asked:

Any chance we'll ever be able to upgrade these wimpy, 16-slot backpacks we're stuck with? You know, the default one you start with. I'd really love to upgrade that slot to another Royal Satchel...

I think Blizzard's answer on this has generally been it would be a significantly larger undertaking than just increasing the number like they can in other bag slots. I have no idea what the internal code for the game looks like so I don't know whether that's true or not, but they have been consistently making all of the other bags larger and give us alternative storage methods. It might happen one day, but if it's easier for them to give the other four bag slots two additional spaces each, then it's more or less the same thing.

Benno asked:

Valor of the Ancients Buff is server wide. Cash shop XP buff is region-wide? Region-wide Valor of the Ancients style buffs next xpac, or only cash shop?

It's far too early to speculate on how these will work at all, unless you play in Asia. Asia uses a different business model, and even if the XP buff Asia is receiving finds its way to Europe and North America, there's no guarantee it will work exactly the same. Blizzard seems to want to tailor this shop to match each region's unique needs, and Asia plays very differently than the rest of the world.

ScottLeyes asked a whole bunch of nonsense:

1) If a tree casts lifebloom while alone in the forest, is anybody healed?

Yes. If you are not targeting another person, your beneficial spells are automatically cast on yourself.

2) Do Gilneans' legs twitch when you scratch their backs?

Only in shapeshift form.

3) Will WoW Insider follow Blizzard's lead and institute a WI Cash Shoppe? You know, pay $$ to have a Queue question answered, or pay to place a screenshot of your character on a class column, or even pay to put your Kitteh Picture at the top of the Q?

That's a great idea. I'll pass it up the chain.

4) What does this look like to you? No, not that, this... does this look infected to you?

Please consult a medical professional.

5) Will we ever see a way to screen players before a random dungeon or LFR? You know, like, "You must be THIS sober or NOT stoned to Raid"

Blizzard will soon be announcing their World of Warcraft Tactical Response Unit that will force every World of Warcraft raider to perform breathalyzer and/or urine tests upon login to the game.

6) When will the next expansion come out?

Soon.

7) When will 5.4 come out?

Soon.

8) When will Ragnarok end?

Soon.

9) Why, oh why, oh why-oh, did i ever leave Ohio?

Soon. Wait, uh. My only experience with Ohio is Cleveland's airport and it was really boring, so let's go with that.

10) Seriously, is Blizzard All-Stars the BIGGEST TROLL EVAH by Blizzard? Really? Cmon, Really? Like, ya know?