World of Warcraft Druid Impressions

Hulking and muscular, the bull-like Tauren possess the brute strength suggested by their imposing physical stature. Nor surprisingly, those foolish or unlucky enough to rouse their ire quickly find them to be fierce, implacable foes. However, their society is a normally a peaceful one, its central belief system revolving around serving the forces of nature and maintaining the innate sense of balance that exists among the wild creatures, the flora and the elemental spirit of their homelands in the grassy lands of central Kalimdor. The Tauren recently built a great city, Thunder Bluff, to serve as a hub for craftsmen and trade. Perched on a series of mesas connected by rope bridges, its tents, longhouses, carved totems and spirit lodges reflect the race''s nomadic heritage, as do the hunters who go forth to hunt on the plains of Mulgore below.

In Blizzard''s World of Warcraft, one aspect of creating a Tauren character involves making a decision among four classes; actually, since Hunters have yet to be implemented in the current beta, the available alternatives come down to Warrior, Shaman and Druid. The last of these was introduced in mid-April, in a build that required starting new avatars within the Horde faction, which also includes Orcs, Trolls and Undead. Playing a Druid is only possible for Tauren and Night Elves. The latter was locked out at the time, as were Humans, Dwarves and Gnomes, the other three races that make up the Alliance, and thus my Tauren Druid was born. Although I''ve played at least one character of every race and class, albeit certainly not every possible combination, this is the one that has seen the most playing time to date.

Based on this experience, the Druid class may be the most rounded and flexible of the nine - eight at the moment - in the game. It offers quite a diversity of abilities and play styles. For instance, you have access to direct damage spells, allowing you to play as an offensive caster. As you''d probably expect, you can''t match or even closely approximate the sheer destructive power of a "pure" magic user. The number of injurious alternatives at your disposal is smaller, you receive new ones and upgrades more sporadically as you level up, and you''re unable to use wands, which can be very powerful.

    
 
 
What you do get begins with Wrath, a Nature Magic spell you can use immediately upon entering the gameworld. Somewhat later, you can purchase Entangling Roots, which is in the same category. It has a double effect, rooting the target and causing damage. Within the Arcane Magic class, there are two more. Moonfire gives you a damage over time option that is cast instantly, which means it can''t be interrupted. Starfire is similar to Wrath. Taking slightly longer to cast, but handing our somewhat more punishment, it''s somewhat better suited to first strikes than repeated use during battles.

    
 
 
As a solo caster, all four have their uses. When you have the chance to initiate a fight, you''ll probably fire off at least a couple of spells. Depending on the opponent you''re facing and your personal preferences, you can then keep casting, or switch to close combat. In most instances, assuming the enemy is at approximately your level, either approach can be viable. Most exceptions involve pure magic using adversaries. Attempting to exchange spells against them amounts to playing their game. Instead, since they have low hit points, and hitting them might disrupt their casting, it''s often better to hit them with a blast or two, then melee, perhaps using Moonfire as well. In a group that doesn''t have a Mage or Warlock, you can take on the primary caster role, but obviously won''t be as effective as either of those.

As a fighter, the Druid isn''t automatic fodder but definitely doesn''t qualify as tank material either. Leather armor is unquestionably superior to cloth, but not nearly as good as mail, and when plate becomes available, it will be even better. You''re also unable to equip a shield, and can only use selected types of weapons. However, that''s not the whole story. After a while, you can acquire the ability to shapeshift into a bear. In this form, you have a higher armor rating and more hit points. As you level up, you gain access to some special attacks, a taunt, and a stun ability that can be very helpful against spellcasters. You still aren''t the equal of a natural fighter, but you''re much closer than your normal form - close enough that you can tank if necessary.

    
 
 
Later on, two other transformations become obtainable. The first of these is an aquatic one that lets you swim more rapidly and breathe under water. Although the lakes, rivers and oceans of Azeroth contain creatures, quest locations, treasures et al, this is my least used shape so far. The other one is a big cat. This form plays like a rogue, at least in some respects. It lets you strike more quickly, and you can use the Sneak ability to help avoid detection, check nearby humanoids using Man Tracking, feign death when injured or endangered, and utilize various cat-specific special attacks. Soloing as a cat is fairly viable, although not exactly easy. In a party, you''re probably best suited to filling a scouting function. Of courts, this assumes your group lacks a true Rogue.

As a regular Druid, you''re a pretty decent healer, arguably second only to Priests in that regard. The primary aspect where you don''t measure up is in not possessing the capability of resurrecting fallen comrades. However, with the Healing Touch ability granted at character creation, you can undo damage the moment you enter the world, and over the course of gaining levels, you can obtain two others, Rejuvenation and Regrowth, that may be used on one character at a time. The three differ in casting times, and in healing immediately or over a short interval. At a fairly high level, you can then obtain Tranquility, which lets you heal your entire group. As above, upgrades become available at intervals as you advance.

You can also remove poison, and later curses. In a different vein, you have an excellent buff, Mark of the Wild, that initially increases a friendly target''s armor. Subsequent versions not only raise the amount of protection, but also elevate all primary attributes, and at higher levels, add to all resistances. Thorns isn''t nearly as comprehensive, but it can be helpful too, causing a small amount of damage every time an opponent lands a melee blow. Obviously, it''s more functional against foes that strike more frequently and not as heavily.

A couple of miscellaneous abilities factor into the mix as well. Faerie Fire is a curse that temporarily lowers the target''s armor rating. In melee situations, it''s useful to cast on yourself if you''re alone, or on the tanks in your party. Soothe Animal reduces the aggro range of the target. It can be used in situations where you want to avoid combat, or to prevent one enemy from joining the fray as you attack another close by.

    
 
 
A final aspect that deserves mention is crafting. World Warcraft has over a dozen trade skills. Although there are no restrictions as to which ones you can acquire, a few combinations do seem better fits for the Druid class. One of these is Skinning plus Leatherworking. The latter lets you create armor for yourself or for sale, while the former allows you to gather the base components, not just from your own kills, but from dead creatures left behind by other players. The later is almost like finding money lying on the ground. The same can be said for Herbalism, Mining or Fishing, but none of these activities seem to be as easily or as frequently available. Nonetheless, the first among them can be suited to Druids as well, either together with Alchemy to make various potions, or with Enchanting to improve equipment items.

Of course, the critical question is whether all of this adds up to an enjoyable gaming experience. The fact that I''ve played my Druid character more than any other is clear evidence that it does, at least for me. At different times, I tend to enjoy various play styles. I also like a mix of solo and group adventuring. As a Jack of all trades-type class, Blizzard''s Druid isn''t truly the best choice for any single manner of play. However, it seems to be the most flexible. Indeed, depending on the composition of your group, you can find yourself doing what seems like a bit of everything - casting, melee, healing and scouting - all within the space of a few minutes. If you want to be a pure fighter, magic user or whatever all the time, other classes will better fit you needs. But even then, a Druid might be well worth considering as a secondary character for those times when you want a change.

Flying Mounts in Northrend

Today’s discussion is regarding flying mounts in Northrend. The opening post (OP) cited an interview with Jeff Kaplan (aka Tigole) recently discussed the Wrath of the Lich King and factors the Blizzard development team had to consider and change for the new WoW expansion.
1. They decided to open the Death Knight class to lower levels to prevent players power leveling to get level cap.
2. As for flying mounts in Northrend, according to reports, players will have to venture forth by foot until they reach level 78 at which time flying mounts will be usable.
From Blizzard’s Bornakk:
From a design standpoint, we don’t want people to just fly over continent and skip things when they are leveling up. Instead we want people to explore and experience the environment around them when they first reach the shores of Northrend. You will walk (or ride) from one quest to another as the zones unfold before you instead of just flying over it without batting an eye.
At some point though you will definitely be able to fly in Northrend. We are currently thinking around level 78, but haven’t made a final call on this yet.
It looks like they want you to actually experience the expansion and that’s not a bad thing. Without the lore and other stuff World of Warcraft might become only a grind fest.