Patch 3.1, Argent Tournament, Blue Posts, Comics

[Boubouille]

Patch 3.1 this week?
Tons of people are going to ask anyway, at the moment we can't know if Patch 3.1 will be deployed on live servers this week. Everything happening on Blizzard's side is being heavily monitored and you'll be the first to know if Patch 3.1 is going live.

The patch is definitely coming... shortly. The "severe lack of info" might simply be because we announced it, gave further details about it, put it up on the PTR for testing and now we are basically on the verge of releasing it.

We certainly haven't been quiet about it. It is coming. And it is coming... soo... er... promptly.

Patch 3.1 - Argent Tournament and Website Update
Two new articles have been added to the site, the first one is a short summary of the Argent Tournament World Event (rewards included!). The other one is just a list of all the dungeon maps added to the game default interface.

Additionally, the Professions Additions / Reagents Changes, Patch 3.1 Mounts, Companion pets and Val'anyr - Legendary Mace articles have been added to the left menu. You can expect minor updates/fixes to most of the articles now that all the important stuff is here. (I think)


Blue posts

Balancing the game in a fishbowl
I'm not sure I follow why you call that a fishbowl. Usually when I hear that term, it is in reference to something that takes place very publicly. If we balanced in a fishbowl, you might be able to see all of the changes as we made them and why we made them. Many players ask for more transparency in the process, which suggests the fishbowl comparison isn't widely shared... unless I misunderstood your metaphor.

We don't balance around best in slot items, though my impression is the community cares much more about that. Most of our PvE balance is concerned about whether the group can beat the boss, and whether some members are contributing too much or not enough to that experience. Very, very few raids have all best in slot items (otherwise you kind of wonder why they are still raiding). We need to know the maximum theoretical dps (in this case), and how characters will scale with better gear, but we also need to know what classes will do with introductory levels of gear too.

We do spend most of our balance effort at max level, because that is where it is most important to the community. Very few players are raiding below max level. We do spend some effort to make sure groups can complete their quests or the level up dungeons though. We do not spend a great deal of effort on the 1v1 "I was ganked in the middle of Stranglethorn" PvP situations, though we do consider it as part of the process.

Hope that provides a little more transparency. (Source)

Val'anyr and upcoming legendary items
So Mages (and other non-healing casters) are in the queue. Not at the end, with Rogues for example. But not at the front, where the healers patiently stand.

I cannot hint at future damage dealing caster legendaries. But I can empathise with your feelings, and I do. I'm hopeful your time will come... again. :-) (Source)

Comics
Dark Legacy Comic #185 and Teh Gladiators #69 are out!

[LavaDuck]

Patch 3.1 coming soon™

[burek]

wtf?! didt they say that it would be a " Blood elf " mount that you could buy too for these marks?!

click on 'horde rewards'

[Xaria]

Because Atiesh going to a healer would have made baby Jesus cry.

It would?
Because there were priests and druids running around with them. Now you can argue that they are only 2 out of 4 healers.
But then again, moonkins and shadowpriests (how unwanted they were at naxx 40 time) could get it as well.

Atiesh should have never been removed from the game anyway. They didn't do that shit with HoR, TF and all others right?

[Odmanex]

I think its about time that they make Feral druid mace legendary or something , share with paladins or something.

We really need a legendary <.<

[Mushin]

How does this make any sense? Since when have mages and warlocks behind healers in the queue for a legendary? Unless I am wrong the caster legendary was atiesh, and now that thats gone there are 0 caster legendaries in the game, so why are healers at the front of the line for one? Dps casters haven't had more legendaries so that really makes no sense. It wouldn't have been hard to make the legendary have a dps caster benefit.

That makes a lot of sense, since healers got ... what legendary since Atiesh? And only half the healers could even use that? Why design a dps caster benefit when only three dps casters can use it?

Where were these QQs when warriors and rogues got two legendaries back to back?

[Dahook]

Will it be possible to obtain all mounts from your own faction or will a night elf only get a tiger? The first option would make the farm for mountain o' mounts achievement alot easier.

- Dahook

[Deleted]

DLC, haha i loled so hard =))))) ;D epic epic epic once again =)

[Idoru]

Will it be possible to obtain all mounts from your own faction or will a night elf only get a tiger? The first option would make the farm for mountain o' mounts achievement alot easier.

- Dahook

Yes, you will be able to get all faction mounts.

Edit: If it stays as it is on the PTR, of course ;D

[Eucep]

*Scritches head* I really don't get whatever joke there is in the later panels of Teh Gladiators.

[Deleted]

Not at the end, with Rogues for example

We don't need legendaries..dagger may be...just more attention to our class!!

[wintervictor]

Maybe legendary armor like cloak?

And please...no, not legendary fish pole!

[bloodletter36]

Wryxian pretty much confirms a 21st April Release date. (Or at the very least, as per Blizzard CM style, sneakily hints at it)

http://blue.mmo-champion.com/1/87047...til-patch.html

This is true.

It also might be a couple of days plus a week..

[Eucep]

We'll know the week when at mondays/tuesdays the movie for patch 3.1 is up.

[Snorri]

Wryxian pretty much confirms a 21st April Release date. (Or at the very least, as per Blizzard CM style, sneakily hints at it)

http://blue.mmo-champion.com/1/87047...til-patch.html

Just before that he also said it might be this week too.

[Destke]

Finaly gief ulduar. I miss a map of frostwyrm lair in naxxramas ^^

[Rondrer]

And please...no, not legendary fish pole!

That would be AWESOME!

[Deleted]

and again a blue post about Gilneas, after 4 years of silence..we got 1 post after another...hints about 3.2 or what? i reroll alliance if Gilneas is on horizont

[Amgyn]

i really hope the caster dps legendary has a good effect on it, rather than the lame one val'ynar has.

[bloodletter36]

and again a blue post about Gilneas, after 4 years of silence..we got 1 post after another...hints about 3.2 or what? i reroll alliance if Gilneas is on horizont

Damn right. This is the start of the most epic change to sweep WoW in years! The opening, phasing and gradual shifting and change of Old World content! Finally the ORIGINAL lore will be able to be experienced through the game, not just a novel.

One hopes.