Elizabeth Harper
Articles by Elizabeth Harper
Go behind the scenes on PvP with Brian Holinka and Wowhead
This week our friends at Wowhead sat down with Senior PvP Designer Brian Holinka to talk about the state of PvP. You can watch the entire interview above or head to Wowhead for a transcript if you'd rather read than watch. So who's getting buffed and who's getting nerfed? Beyond this week's hotfixes, Holinka isn't saying, but Blizzard is definitely keeping an eye on everyone to try to keep PvP in balance. Brian Holinka Representation in ratings are important to players but we consider that one facet. We pay attention to what people are saying, and our own play experiences. We use all those to balance PvP classes. Rets and Discs are a good example - were very slightly nerfed (set bonus and silence). Those classes were doing too well and were reined in. Under performing specs include DPS shaman. Any changes we make have effect on the whole game. So many things to take into account. Decisions are made deliberately. source Click through to the whole interview for more.
Getting started with pet battles in Warlords of Draenor
Though the basic battle pet system hasn't changed, if you're a pet collector heading into Warlords of Draenor you'll find plenty of new pets to collect, six new tamers to beat, daily battles at your garrison's menagerie, new achievements, and a new pet-centric currency. So where's a potential pet tamer to begin? We'll walk you through all of the pat battling Warlords has to offer. Find and fight Draenor's pet tamers There are six new tamers to battle in Draenor, one for every zone (excepting Tanaan and Ashran). You can fight each tamer once a day in exchange for 4 Pet Charms, which you can use to buy pet-centric gear at your garrison. In addition to fun toys like costumes and pet treats, you can buy bandages, and battle-stones. Amongst that gear, of the most interest to pet levelers will be: Marked Flawless Battle-Stones for 15 charms, Flawless Battle-Training Stones for 3 charms, and Mystery Bags which a random family battle-training stone for 2 charms. Here's who you'll need to fight (and where you'll need to go) for your pet charms: Cymre Brightblade, Gorgrond (51, 71): Strategy Ashlei, Shadowmoon Valley (50, 30): Strategy Vesharr, Spires of Arak (46, 46): Strategy Gargra, Frostfire Ridge (67, 64): Strategy Taralune, Talador (49, 81): Strategy Tarr the Terrible, Nagrand (56, 10): Strategy
PvP hotfixes for December 11th
Whether you'll be pleased or disappointed by today's PvP hotfixes -- which Nethaera says are coming soon -- likely depends on which class you play. Balance druids, discipline priests, retribution paladins, enhancement shaman, and warriors are all getting tweaks (or, as some might say, nerfs). The exact changes are below. Nethaera We wanted to take a moment to update everyone on some of the latest PvP related hotfixes that are incoming which will affect the following specs and classes: Balance Druid Starfall damage against players is now reduced by 33%. PvP set bonus that grants a charge of Starsurge when Entangling Roots breaks now has a 15 second cooldown. Discipline Priest Silence now has a 2 second duration (Shadow Silence is unaffected). Retribution Paladin and Enhancement Shaman The PvP 2 set piece bonus now grants 25% reduction in crowd control effects (down from 50%). Warriors Glyph of Shield Slam now requires defensive stance. source
Highmaul LFR and Mythic will be live at 10AM PST
If you've been paying attention to the Highmaul opening schedule, then you know that today's the day to both LFR -- at least the first wing of it -- and Mythic Highmaul will go live. (European servers will see their LFR and Mythic variations up tomorrow.) But after rolling restarts this morning, there's no Highmaul. So just when can raiders expect to find these new raids in operation? According to Bashiok, 10AM (in each region's release time) is when raids typically arrive -- including Highmaul. That means players on North American realms, you'll be able to hit up LFR and Mythic Highmaul starting at 10AM PST (or 1PM EST), while European players will see their own LFR and Mythic Highmaul go up tomorrow morning at 10AM CET. If one LFR wing isn't enough, the second and third wings open on December 16th and January 6th, respectively.
WRUP: We have a lot of feelings about professions edition
Another weekend is upon us, which means it's time once again for WRUP! The journey through Warlords continues on, and as we've explored more of the game, a common complaint amongst the team has been about the game's profession changes. While Blizzard has worked to streamline professions, not all of us (or, really, any of us) are quite happy with the end result. So just what's wrong with professions? A lot. If you want to see what we're doing in game this week -- plus a laundry-list of professions complaints -- read on. And, of course, leave us a comment to say just what you're playing this weekend... and let us know what you think about the state of professions.
WoW Moviewatch: The Force Awakens
We've all seen the new Star Wars trailer and, with Blizzard's help, started wondering just what an Azerothian interpretation of the film might be like. However, Ian Beckman's taken the idea even further with a WoW machinima timed to the original trailer's sound and dialog. And the finished product manages to hold together the plot surprisingly well, from Gorehowl (with mini-Gorehowl crossguards) replacing the infamous lightsaber to Khadgar on a rocket replacing the Millennium Falcon. My only complaint: where are the gnomes and goblins?! This high-tech crossover universe was sadly lacking all of Azeroth's engineering talent... much like actual Warcraft trailers. Oh well. While we're still waiting for the goblins and gnomes to have their day, we can enjoy this machinima. 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.
Bringing holiday cheer, Blizzard-style
We know that Blizzard celebrates the holiday season in-game with plenty of decorations and tacky sweaters, and as it turns out their real-world celebrations aren't that different. For this holiday season, the famed orc statue in front of Blizzard HQ has gotten its own special holiday makeover -- and, yes, it now sports its very own tacky sweater. On the plus side, the orc and his wolf mount both look like they're better suited to brave the cold months of (California) winter... and they've managed to be festive while still supporting their faction with horde-logo holiday gear. Of course, this begs the question: what can we do to get our own tasteful winter gear? (And does it involve learning to crochet?)
Adopt new pet Argi for charity
Like in-game pets? Like helping people? Then Blizzard's latest charity pet, the goat-like Argi, is perfect. The pet is available in the Blizzard Store now for $10, 100% of which goes to support the American Red Cross's Ebola relief efforts. Argi is tiny enough to get lost in the tall grass of Shadowmoon Valley, occasionally trips over herself and falls face-first when running, and when left to idle too long will prance and leap in circles to burn off energy. In short, Argi is an adorable addition to any battle pet army. If adorable isn't your thing, however, Blizzard is also offering Argi bundled with a new mount: the Grinning Reaver. This reaver-style mount wears a skull mask (or at least we hope it's a mask) and will drive fear into the hearts of your enemies. (And possibly also your allies.) You can get Argi and the Grinning Reaver for $30 ($10 of which goes to charity) or the Grinning Reaver alone for $25.
WoW Moviewatch: Life in Draenor
We're all getting used to our lives in Draenor (in garrisons and out), and Slightly Impressive has put together a machinima that sums up the Draenor day-to-day, from mostly-safe in-garrison gathering to the dangers of garrison envy. But more importantly, this video raises a key question about the expansion: just how does Khadgar manage to show up everywhere with a problem for you to solve? It's a mystery for the ages! Instead of giving yourself a headache trying to figure it out, we'd recommend just watching the video -- or taking a nostalgic trip through WoW history with Slightly Impressive's other machinima. 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.
Get started raiding Highmaul with these guides
The first raid of Warlords, Highmaul opens its doors to players today (or tomorrow for EU players) for normal and heroic modes. If you're waiting for mythic or raid finder, both of those open on December 9th, with additional raid finder wings opening on December 16th and January 6th. If you're not sure how to get started with Highmaul, we've rounded up the guides that will help you down the biggest bosses and collect the best gear. Wowhead has a great guide covering everything you might want to know about Highmaul, including achievements, ilvl requirements, zone info, and boss guides. Icy Veins offers comprehensive strategy guides for each boss, including videos. GameSkinny has excellent short-and-sweet boss guides. Check part 1 for Kargath, The Butcher, Tectus, and Brackenspore strategies; find Twin Ogron, Ko'ragh and Imperator Mar'gok in part 2. Get-Er Raid has beta videos of heroic kills of each Highmaul boss with easy to follow narration that's packed with helpful info. Top guild Method has beta videos of heroic kills of each Highmaul boss as well as a video walkthrough of the whole raid. The kill videos have no narration to walk you through them, but the Highmaul walkthrough offers advice to help you through the tougher parts of Highmaul. Have your own favorite guide that's not mentioned here? Be sure to let us know in the comments -- and, of course, good luck raiding!
Arthas takes on the Sith in new image from Blizzard
Not to be shown up by the Sith (i.e. the first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Arthas is back in a new imaged released on Warcraft's Twitter page showing him with an upgraded version of Frostmourne (now with an even more excessive crossguard), and ready to take on anyone who wants to put up a fight for the title of ultimate villain. In the battle of Arthas vs. Sith, I think I'd put my money on Arthas. Or is this supposed to be an audition? If so, I think he may be a little too late. Kind of like at Stratholme. Oh, too soon?
What to do after hitting level 100
Congratulations on hitting level 100! But after 10 levels of fairly directed content, what to do next can be a big question mark for many players. So to help you get started, we've built a list of just where you can go from here, whether you're interested in soloing, raiding (though raiders-to-be may also appreciate this guide by our friend Matticus), collecting... or just about anything else. Wondering what to do next? Let's dive in. Pick your level 100 talent After going for ten levels without any new talents or skills to deal with, you might forget that you get a new talent when you hit level 100. (I know that I did.) Be sure to select yours for both talent specs if you tend to switch back and forth.
WoW Moviewatch: A Typical Garrison Day
There may not be as many dailies this expansion, but that doesn't mean that the daily grind is gone, as Wowcrendor explores in this video, which outlines a typical garrison day for (probably) all of us. The endless fishing quests, the failed missions, the followers that just won't stop talking... But maybe Crendor's typical day isn't your typical day. So what do you say, readers? What scenes match up with your daily garrison grind? 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.
WRUP: It's all about Garrisons
Diving in to Warlords of Draenor has meant diving in to garrisons in a big way. Though most of us have long since hit level 100, we're still working on perfecting our garrison design and unlocking all of those level 3 buildings. (Even dog, above, seems to be trying something new with his unconventional sitting style.) But over this holiday weekend, some of us have more free time than usual to dive into our favorite hobby, while for others the holidays means spending more time outside the game world. But it's not all about World of Warcraft, as Dragon Age's recent release has definitely lured away some of the team. Want to know what we're playing this weekend -- and tell us what you're up to in game? Read on for more and feel free to leave us a comment!
Breakfast Topic: Your favorite garrison building
We've all been working on our Draenor garrisons long enough to have some experience of the day to day grind of garrison life -- which means we've probably all had time to pick out favorites (and less favorites) amongst the building options. So today let's talk about our must-have garrison buildings. I have to admit, in my own garrison there's been some rollover as I've tried out different buildings to see what I thought of them, but while I've found the lumber mill to be the most practical of the lot (who doesn't need more garrison resources?), the stables wins as my favorite. Not only does the stable offer some excellent bonuses -- like not having to dismount to interact with objects -- but your stable also shows off a random selection from your collection of mounts, which makes it a nice visual addition that makes your garrison seem a bit more yours. But what about you, readers? Which garrison building could you just not live without?
Breakfast Topic: The professional grind
WoW's professions have changed a lot between Mists of Pandaria and Warlords of Draenor, making professions perhaps as easy as they've ever been for both leveling and crafting. Catch-up methods have made professions easier to level from zero while garrisons give us the ability to have limited access to any profession even if we didn't bother (or didn't have the profession slot) to level it. But while professions have always been a grind, I find the removal of the grind to be nearly as much of a problem. While professions may be much more streamlined, a lot of the variety has been removed, too: there are fewer items to craft (due to a removal of low-quality craftables that were rarely used) and the things you can craft typically require a large quantity of a single material rather than sending you on an epic quest to gather bits and pieces from around the world. In theory, I like making crafting more straightforward. But in practice, it means crafting is reduced to pressing a single button to create work orders for days (or weeks) until you can finally create something. The new system may be easier, but it seems a lot less interesting, too. So tell me, readers: just what do you think of professions in Warlords? Are you enjoying the new way of crafting, with the ease of gathering and queuing up work orders from your garrison? Or do you find yourself nostalgic for crafting systems past?
WRUP: Playing those level 100 blues
So Warlords of Draenor has been out for a week, which means many of us have started to hit level 100 and gear up for the end-game grind. Or have we? Tis the season for new game releases, and console titles like Dragon Age: Inquisition have a strong draw for WoW Insider's RPG-loving crew. But there's still plenty to do in Draenor, plus the 10th anniversary content is just getting fired up. So what's a gamer to do? Spoiler alert: we're still (mostly) playing WoW. But to see what exactly the team is getting into in WoW (and otherwise), as well as letting us know what you're playing this weekend, read on!
Breakfast Topic: Happy birthday, WoW!
Admittedly, we're sending World of Warcraft its birthday wishes a little early -- the game officially launched on November 23rd, 2004 -- but since the 10th anniversary event kicks off today, it seems fair. Ten years is a good long run for any game, but Blizzard certainly isn't calling it quits yet. Since we're celebrating it seems like a great time to look back on our time in WoW, so today let's talk about our favorite WoW memories. How long have you been playing? What's your first memory of World of Warcraft? And will you be joining in the anniversary events to celebrate the nostalgia?
WoW Rookie guide updated with garrison guides
If you're just jumping into WoW -- or back into WoW -- for Warlords of Draenor, you may be a little lost when it comes to the addition of garrisons to the game. But whether you're trying to figure out what to build or how to best gather resources, we've put together a section of the Rookie Guide that's all about garrisons. And for the players just hitting level 100 and trying to decide what next, we have a section to help out new to 100 players, too. So why wait? Head over to the Rookie Guide and get caught up on what's new in Warlords of Draenor now. Of course, Warlords of Draenor is still brand new and there will be more content on both of these fronts in the weeks to come. If you have burning questions about what to do or where to go in Warlords, send them our way and we'll look into covering it for a future WoW Rookie! Just because you don't know everything there is to know about World of Warcraft doesn't mean you can't play your A-game. Visit the WoW Rookie Guide for links to everything you need to get started as a new (or returning) player, with new sections on garrisons and what to do at level 100.
Breakfast Topic: Your favorite Draenor characters
With Warlords of Draenor, we have a whole new cast of characters in WoW... as well as the return of some classic characters of Warcraft lore. And while we haven't had quite enough time with the expansion to play through every quest and turn over every rock, we've probably played long enough to have decided on some favorites amongst the cast. So this morning, let's talk characters. Who's your favorite member of the cast of Warlords? For my part -- and the part, no doubt, of many alliance players -- I've got to nominate Yrel, who is going to push me over the edge into making a draenei paladin so I can help bring the Light to the Iron Horde. (In 90 levels, anyway.) But what about you, readers? Do you have a favorite of the new characters Warlords has brought to the game? Or are you enjoying an old character that particularly shines?