The Queue: It’s just another day

After last night, all I have to say is ugh. And ask if any of you have some aspirin. And to please not speak so loudly.

I think Mitch and I probably answered some questions below.

Liz: I suspect a Sombra-level ARG is the next step. Ahem. More practically, they’ve usually waited until later in the expansion cycle to release flying. Unless Blizzard is changing its tune, it seems more likely to come later.

Mitch: No way. It’s going to be something we earn over the course of the expansion, likely not fully until 7.3 or whatever the last major patch is. Plus, they’d make a big deal of it if that were the case.

Liz: With the speed that they’re putting out 7.1, I really hope 7.2 is not the last major patch.

Liz: The amount of time required to max out an Artifact is definitely a problem. While you can get off the ground with a (relatively) small investment of AP, the grind to those top tiers is significant. But plot seems a little harsh… Blizzard has talked like they expected Legion to be more friendly to multiple specs and Artifacts have been more of a hurdle than they thought it would be (or maybe they just thought people would easily swap specs without being worried about maxed weapons). Still, as we all get more Artifact Knowledge, reaching those top tiers becomes less of a hurdle… still a hurdle, though.

Mitch: Simple solution: Play a class with only one DPS spec, like Shadow. Boom. Problem solved. Next question!

Liz: Apparently the Horseman that invades low-level towns does scale this year, but it would be nice if the dungeon one would, too. Blizzard seems to be very cautious about rolling out more scaling, but it seems like it would be safe for one boss in dungeon during one holiday. Maybe Blizzard doesn’t want us to have more chances at that mount…

Mitch: Honestly, I have no idea why they haven’t done it. If they’re really concerned about farming for the mount, then just put 100-110 in its own bracket like battlegrounds and then scale non-mount-dropping versions for all other levels.

Liz: I’m pretty sure the mount just doesn’t exist, regardless of level.

Mitch: (P.s., I know 100-110 is not an actual battleground bracket.)

Liz: I am so tired of Sombra. But whenever a new clue comes out I want to know what it means and I try to figure it out. And then I figure out nothing. And then I am annoyed, both with Blizzard and with myself for wasting time trying.

Mitch: Here’s my message to Blizzard: At the end of the day, who’s going to be more satisfied when Sombra is finally revealed? Someone who paid no attention at all, or someone who dumped maximum effort into the ARG? If taking part in the ARG doesn’t feel satisfying, you’ve done something wrong.

Mitch: Omigosh a question directly for me :D

Liz: Your fans asked for you specifically.

Mitch: Anyways, class hall, I actually like. I can see why others might not think it’s the most amazing, but I think it’s pretty cool in the way the Priest spectrum is represented in the layout itself. Part of my enjoyment comes from the fact that I saw early versions, though, and they weren’t as kind to the Shadow portions of the hall. The final version is much more Shadow friendly and actually implemented a few of the suggestions I wrote about (you’re welcome). But again, I could see how you don’t like it. The campaign though? I loved it. The ending was freaking amazing! I will say, I don’t know the other classes’ experiences all that well, so my opinion of the Priest campaign exists in and of itself. And in that sense, I think it built to one amazing finale and I really can’t wait to see where it leads.

Liz: It’s interesting that you see most mechanical development from Gnomes, Goblins, and to varying extents, Dwarves and Draenei. In a lot of fantasy worlds, these are less magically inclined races… but in Warcraft all of them have magical class options available to them, so it makes less sense that they would come up with these super mechanical inventions when they could just — POOF — use magic to do the same thing. And if technology is a supplement for people without magical skill, why don’t you see all races with more technological development, pushed by those members who don’t have magical skills? TLDR: I think there are interesting story possibilities here that we just haven’t seen in game.

Mitch: Liz, why did you put so many questions in The Queue today?

Liz: I felt bad about doing fewer questions last week. And I liked this one.

Mitch: I don’t have a perfect response, but if you look at Draenor (the alternate version), it offers an interesting case study. Garrosh didn’t introduce the Orcs over there to magic, he introduced mechanical tech. And the idea (as WOD was originally pitched) seemed to be “they have technology now, so they can win this time.” In the original timeline, they were introduced to Fel magic, which (implicitly) delayed the sort of tech Garrosh introduced. So to answer… probably yes?

Liz: That is a way better answer than mine. And, yes, I wrote this. Mitch did not actually write it for me. Not that Mitch would ever do such a thing.

Liz: This is a tough one, but I have to vote Millhouse. Us Gnomes have to stick together. (Though if he wins, it will probably be by accident.)

Mitch: I mean… Leeroy’s thing is that he got himself and all his allies killed. Millhouse is a crazy, magic Gnome who has survived with us since BC — where he first appeared locked up alongside the worst of the worst. So yeah, Millhouse wins this one.

Liz: We agree?!

Mitch: Jay did it!