WoW PCs

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2005-07-20 09:21pm

So, Im plotting starting playing. Any advice for pc design or gameplay?

Post by **Vympel** » 2005-07-20 10:36pm

It's all personal preference. What do you like?

Me, I play a single Lvl 60 Warrior, Human. He's a specialist in two-handed weapons and spears (Ice Barbed Spear, naturally

) for when he fights Horde but uses a sword and shield (and Defensive Stance) in most lvl 60 instance runs when required (boss fights, when I need to pull aggro off the squishies with Taunt, etc).

Oh, and I finally got my Breastplate of Valor last night. All I need now are the Boots, Spaulders, Helm and Belt to complete the set.

Why is it that I need to go through some summoning bullshit to get the chance at the boots? I haven't even done the relevant quest so the blood drops.

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2005-07-21 03:08am

I'm also going to start an account in precisely a month.

Is there a sd.net clan or guild?
Also any recomendations for someone who hasnt played a mmorpg in his life?

Ford Prefect · Post by **Ford Prefect** » 2005-07-21 03:19am

One, do quests. Always quests.

And also, choose a race you think you'll enjoy. A good way to check is listen to each races' humour emotes. If it strikes a tone with you, go with it.

Also, be polite.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2005-07-21 03:25am

DEATH TO THE ALLIANCE!

I have a Tauren Shaman--a seriously overpowered class (though it wasn't when I started). The war stomp is a GREAT move.

If you're really into power-gaming, be an undead character--probably a rogue. The undead racial ability is incredible for PvP.

Really, though, it's personal preference. My brother loves his gnome warrior, and a close friend of mine wouldn't think of swapping his human paladin for Azeroth.

Ford Prefect · Post by **Ford Prefect** » 2005-07-21 03:28am

Oh yeah, I should just point this out: At the beginning you'll notice a difference in stats, but that doesn't matter. Further on into the game you'll notice less of a difference between a Tauren and Gnome warrior (But who cares. Tauren all the way!).

Tatterdemalion · Post by **Tatterdemalion** » 2005-07-21 07:29am

Well if you want a basic guide, here's a list of each classes shtick:

Warrior: Tanks plain and simple, out of all the classes warriors are best at taking on multiple enemies and keeping their attention. If specced right, they can also do some pretty hefty damage, although they'll never quite reach the pinnacles of the mage and rogue.

Mage: Damage, damage, damage. Mages excel at dropping powerful magical nukes on multiple enemies and dealing tons of damage. They can also create food and water to make restoring hp/mana between battles easier. Their main disadvantage is, as usual, that they're quite fragile and should keep out of melee range at all costs.

Rogue: When fighting a single target a rogue can inflict more damage than even a mage, and are generally less dependant on long cool downs or slow spells. In addition, they have the ability to stealth and can launch truly crippling surprise attacks. Their main disadvantage is that, while more sturdy than the mage, they HAVE to go into melee to do damage, so if they mess up they can die even faster than mages. At higher levels this is offset by a move called ‘vanish’ that basically allows the rogue to escape any combat that doesn't involve poisons/damage-over-time.

Priests: Healers. With their healing magic and ability to create shields, these guys are arguably the most effective healers in the game. In addition they can get decent magic that allows them to do decent single-target damage and send enemies running with the fear status effect. Disadvantages are the same as the mage, crappy armour and hp.

Paladins: Many people suffer under the delusion that Paladins are an offensive class. They're not. What they are is very good defensive healers and buffers. While not quite as effective at healing as the priests, the fact that they have huge armour and hp makes them more long lasting. In addition to this they get some very good buffs that will make everyone love them. Their disadvantages are a lack of predictable damage (most of their damage dealing abilities are very random) and a complete inability to fight at a range/pursue runners.

Hunters: the ranged combat class, as long as they can keep their enemy at a distance they're great, although unlike mages they're no slouches in hand to hand either. They also get pets, which act as meat shields and extra damage. Generally speaking, the hunter is great for soloing but tends to get outshined by other classes in team play.

Shamans: Unlike paladins, Shamans ARE offensive healers. Generally held to be slightly overpowered, Shamans excel at area of effect totem buffs and powerful close combat magic. Their ability to resurrect themselves after they've died makes them good backup healers (though they're less efficient than priests and paladins and generally run our of mana quicker). Aside from mana inefficiency, their only real disadvantage (and I wouldn't even call it that) is that they're only marginally sturdier than the rogue.

Druids: A true hybrid class. Druids are intended to be jacks-of-all-trades, although in practice by endgame they usually end up alternating between healing and tanking. Despite this, they play very differently from paladins and their shape shifting is a very nice gimmick. These guys make a great newbie class as they're both decent at everything, and with their entangling roots spell have no difficulty running away from sticky situations. They're main disadvantage is, like the hunter, that they tend to get outshined by specialist classes later in the game.

Warlock: Curses, draining magic and damage-over-time are the order of the day here. Generally held to be underpowered, although they've received several power-increases recently. Warlocks aren't great fighters, themselves, but are very good in large-scale battles when they have others to hide behind. In addition they're even better with fear than priests, and get to summon demons (one ranged variant, one tank, one damage dealer and one anti-spellcaster. late game they can summon uber demons but they have a tendency to flip out and kill people), which make them good for soloing. As I touched upon their main weakness is they just can’t deal lots of damage at a decent speed, and mainly benefit from long, extended battles.

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2005-07-21 07:36am

What are the best low to mid level selection for making the most overpowered class/level/ability combination?
(Skill selection, specific passive or mana using powers, useful common items etc..)

Also who here is in a clan/guild/team/etc?

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2005-07-21 07:46am

Here goes.

First, pick side. Both have some advantages and disadvantages....and both have their share of complete retards.

Pick class, now you can look in their forums for what the advantages and disadvantages, but for okay to "WHAT THE FUCK?!" levels of weirdness here, goes.

1. Rogue: Good class. Able to solo well, is used in groups, and has the highest attack level in game. Only Mage begins to exceed damage. Not many bugs.

2. Mage: Decent. Loads of minor bugs, but nothing gamebreaking except a few things relating with Ice that Blizzard is hoping that people won't notice, but can really fuck the player over. Very useful and loved class...part of the classic trinity.

3. Warlock: Fun class, but bugged out the wazoo. Class is number three on the hate list and is ignored and just somewhat assraped by Blizzard.

4. Paladin: Don't...and yes I have a level 60 with some of the best epics, and have done Molten Core and Black Wing Lair.

5. Shaman: If you go Horde, possibly one of the best classes. Loads of variety, and useful techniques. One of Blizzard's finished products.

6. Warrior: Meat shield with attack power. Fun, and is useful throughout the game.

7. Priest: Healbot. Has ability to have atack powers, but that comes later in game, and takes some serious effort to get to.

8. Druids: Alternate Healbots.

9. Hunters: possibly the best Solo PvE type. Bugged and unloved by Blizzard.

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2005-07-21 07:54am

By bugged do you mean overpower or weak?

Also with the rogue do I need to sneak a lot or just click the stealth attack button or something similiar? (Tom Clancy game style stealth or rpg (kotor) style fire and forget stealth)

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2005-07-21 07:58am

the .303 bookworm wrote:By bugged do you mean overpower or weak?

Bugged as in riddled with software problems.

Also with the rogue do I need to sneak a lot or just click the stealth attack button or something similiar? (Tom Clancy game style stealth or rpg (kotor) style fire and forget stealth)

Depends on how you want to play your rogue.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2005-07-21 08:17am

Ghost Rider wrote:
the .303 bookworm wrote:By bugged do you mean overpower or weak?
Bugged as in riddled with software problems.

I've got a Lv. 14 Tauren Shaman. What bugs are there? *Worried*

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2005-07-21 08:17am

Who should I play for either playing with a large group (from sd.net) or mainly solo playing, with plenty of damage, passive abilities and plenty of direct effect attacks (a straight buff, not a invisible until first attack or a 10% chance of sleeping until attacked- for example)

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2005-07-21 08:23am

Pcm979 wrote:
Ghost Rider wrote:
the .303 bookworm wrote:By bugged do you mean overpower or weak?
Bugged as in riddled with software problems.
I've got a Lv. 14 Tauren Shaman. What bugs are there? *Worried*

Shamans?

Virtually none.

The buggiest are honestly the Warlocks, Priests and Mages. Mages having some of the funkiest ones.

Ford Prefect · Post by **Ford Prefect** » 2005-07-21 08:23am

[quote="Pcm979]I've got a Lv. 14 Tauren Shaman. What bugs are there? *Worried*[/quote]

As far as I remember, the Shaman isn't that buggy. It's the magic users and the Hunter mainly.

And .303, when deciding on a class, if you intend to become part of a clan is to makesure you balance out what they've got. So if they've got a tank, a healer, a paladin, but lack some serious hard hitting DPS, you go rogue.

But assume you're going by a solo perspective. Play what you like (I for example like guns, hence my decision to use a Dwarf).

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2005-07-21 08:25am

*Bash head*

I meant Hunter, I swear I wrote Hunter, but my brain seems to be off today.

Ford Prefect · Post by **Ford Prefect** » 2005-07-21 08:27am

I've never played a Hunter, but I hear it's a bit buggy. But not as bad as the magic guys.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2005-07-21 08:28am

Pcm979 wrote:*Bash head*

I meant Hunter, I swear I wrote Hunter, but my brain seems to be off today.

Some in relation with damage, and more then a few times lining perspective(basically you'll be what's looking like in range of something but the game goes "You're not").

The real problem is Hunters have gotten little to no real love from Blizzard in terms of actual improvement, thus having a few good skills and more then a few crap.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-07-21 01:06pm

As the resident 60 hunter, lemme weigh in there. Yes, we have issues, but it's still a hella fun class to play, and I've been surviving quite well in the Molten Core the past few days. As for their outstanding issues, patch 1.7 is heavily rebalancing Druids and Hunters, with particular emphasis on the (currently pathetic) talent trees.

As far as Rogues are concerned...yes, they're shiny. Yes, they're about as hard to find as lint in God's navel, which makes it really, really hard on them in high-end instances. I was in Molten Core last night...we had seven Rogues in the 40-man raid...more than double the number of Priests and Druids combined. If you must run one, have fun, but you'll be one in thousand, and hence have big trouble grouping late-game. If you have the patience for it, healers are ALWAYS in demand.

Next, server type. PVP servers, while they can be obnoxious, are a blast, and produce some hysterically funny encounters. I've watched raid groups run straought into each other on the way into Molten Core, my friend Des has seen two full 40-man raids going at it in Azshara to see who'd be left alive to hit the outdoor raid boss there...some awesomely hilarious stuff. If you go PVP, I've got a good, close-kntit guild on Mannoroth server if you want a place to start. Normal/RP servers, you're on your own.

Captain tycho · Post by **Captain tycho** » 2005-07-21 02:07pm

Sigh, going to have to join back in sometime. I just hope that character transfers from Feathermoon to Mannoroth are allowed, since I hate starting over.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2005-07-21 02:12pm

I will say beware Dev love. While it's nice, at times does little to nothing for you, and the issues you want solved(Guys...I still get disconnects and distance issues when I do Charge or Intercept, could you fix that before giving a completely useless redoing of BloodThirst, ok?).

So it's nice they will unerf Hunters, and give a look see into druids...beware.

I wonder if they even program the same game we fucking play.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-07-21 04:12pm

Unlikely, I'd say, Tycho. To date, transfers have only been from high-pop (like Mannoroth, hell, we were a BETA server) to low-pop. If they change that, I'll hook you up.

As for 'ware the devs, shit yes, I'm hopeful, but not exactly un-edgy. Still, as borked as hunters are, there's precious little direction to go but up.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2005-07-21 04:57pm

White Haven wrote:As for 'ware the devs, shit yes, I'm hopeful, but not exactly un-edgy. Still, as borked as hunters are, there's precious little direction to go but up.

True, but sometimes I have to wonder about Blizz. Literally what they recently did for Warriors and Warlocks is a good example.

Warriors, recieve some interesting ups in both Fury and Arms tree, an interesting high end Protection ability, and a shitty redux of Fury 31-point(a hundred 100 back in five seconds, AFTER 5 hits AND 30 fury...hold me back, Blizzard....jeez.)

But they failed to address some of the real bugs...like the Intercept/Charge bug. Basically there are times you use the ability, get in close, and the game has either disconnected you from server, or fucks up either your distance graphics(they say you're NOT standing next to the critter) or you enter a null zone where there are no critters.

This has been going on for two, now Three patches.

Warlocks on the other hand, get some boost, but not any of the needed redoing of literally their pets, and hell they actually FUBARed the Imp, and a few other pets. I'm not going to even go into the whole Shadowburn ability either.

So hopefully the Hunter will recieve a more Warrior look see then a Warlock one.

What's funny, is that honestly the Shaman is one of the few classes they put REAL effort into. In of itself it is a complete class, that is a hybrid, and not a gimped hybrid that they have done with druids(Might as well call them morphing priests) or Paladins(which should be called....tanks with toothpicks)

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2005-07-21 05:46pm

White Haven wrote:If you go PVP, I've got a good, close-kntit guild on Mannoroth server if you want a place to start. Normal/RP servers, you're on your own.

Horde or Alliance? I'll give it a look-see.

I'm on Thunderhorn, FWI.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-07-21 05:47pm

Alliance. I was pondering Horde, but they're just too goddamned ugly.