Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/mage/” rel=”tag”>Mage, WoW.joystiq.com/category/analysis-opinion/” rel=”tag”>Analysis / Opinion, WoW.joystiq.com/category/pvp/” rel=”tag”>PvP, WoW.joystiq.com/category/the-art-of-war-craft/” rel=”tag”>The Art of War(craft) (PvP)

Every week, WoW Insider brings you WoW.joystiq.com/category/the-art-of-war-craft/”>The Art of War(craft), covering battlegrounds and world PvP, and WoW.joystiq.com/category/blood-sport/”>Blood Sport, with the inside line for arena enthusiasts. Want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women? Battlemaster Zach Yonzon, old-world PvP grinder and casual battleground habitué, rambles on about anything and everything PvP.

The Cataclysm is getting close, so we’ve only got a few weeks of this transitional stage, but it’s important to pick out our PvP talents heading into the expansion. Today, we’re going to take a look at mages, who have the usual set of tools and a couple of new ones. Nothing drastic has changed, despite the overhaul in WoW.joystiq.com/tag/patch-4.0.1/”>4.0.1, so mages are still casters who do best at range. Nothing has made them capable of wading into melee and standing toe-to-toe with rogues or anything silly like that. Instead, what we’ve got are three interesting trees with slightly different ways to crush their opponents — all of them fun.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/the-art-of-war-craft-must-have-pvp-talents-for-mages-in-4-0-1/” rel=”bookmark”>Continue reading The Art of War(craft): Must-have PvP talents for mages in 4.0.1

WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider” style=”float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0″ />WoW.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/the-art-of-war-craft-must-have-pvp-talents-for-mages-in-4-0-1/”>The Art of War(craft): Must-have PvP talents for mages in 4.0.1 originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/the-art-of-war-craft-must-have-pvp-talents-for-mages-in-4-0-1/” rel=”bookmark” title=”Permanent link to this entry”>Permalink | WoW.joystiq.com/forward/19701555/” title=”Send this entry to a friend via email”>Email this | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/the-art-of-war-craft-must-have-pvp-talents-for-mages-in-4-0-1/#comments” title=”View reader comments on this entry”>Comments

Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/mage/” rel=”tag”>Mage, WoW.joystiq.com/category/analysis-opinion/” rel=”tag”>Analysis / Opinion, WoW.joystiq.com/category/pvp/” rel=”tag”>PvP, WoW.joystiq.com/category/the-art-of-war-craft/” rel=”tag”>The Art of War(craft) (PvP)

Every week, WoW Insider brings you WoW.joystiq.com/category/the-art-of-war-craft/”>The Art of War(craft), covering battlegrounds and world PvP, and WoW.joystiq.com/category/blood-sport/”>Blood Sport, with the inside line for arena enthusiasts. Want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women? Battlemaster Zach Yonzon, old-world PvP grinder and casual battleground habitué, rambles on about anything and everything PvP.

The Cataclysm is getting close, so we’ve only got a few weeks of this transitional stage, but it’s important to pick out our PvP talents heading into the expansion. Today, we’re going to take a look at mages, who have the usual set of tools and a couple of new ones. Nothing drastic has changed, despite the overhaul in WoW.joystiq.com/tag/patch-4.0.1/”>4.0.1, so mages are still casters who do best at range. Nothing has made them capable of wading into melee and standing toe-to-toe with rogues or anything silly like that. Instead, what we’ve got are three interesting trees with slightly different ways to crush their opponents — all of them fun.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/the-art-of-war-craft-must-have-pvp-talents-for-mages-in-4-0-1/” rel=”bookmark”>Continue reading The Art of War(craft): Must-have PvP talents for mages in 4.0.1

WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider” style=”float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0″ />WoW.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/the-art-of-war-craft-must-have-pvp-talents-for-mages-in-4-0-1/”>The Art of War(craft): Must-have PvP talents for mages in 4.0.1 originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/the-art-of-war-craft-must-have-pvp-talents-for-mages-in-4-0-1/” rel=”bookmark” title=”Permanent link to this entry”>Permalink | WoW.joystiq.com/forward/19701555/” title=”Send this entry to a friend via email”>Email this | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/the-art-of-war-craft-must-have-pvp-talents-for-mages-in-4-0-1/#comments” title=”View reader comments on this entry”>Comments

“You know, Throgg,” Lolegolas said. “I have to admit that you’ve vastly improved. I understand it’s very difficult for plate-wearing people to avoid fire, given the magnetic qualities possessed by Azerothian flame. But in the last few weeks, you’ve done a remarkable job not jumping into local bonfires.”

“It is this,” Throgg said, holding up a book labelled WoW Insider. “This is a WoWhead.com/item=57431″>Strategy Guide. It tells you important stuff like, ‘WoW.joystiq.com/category/ready-check”>Do not stand in fire,’ and, ‘There is cool video called WoW.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/WoW-moviewatch-blind/”>BLIND.’ It’s also got some of the best WoW.joystiq.com/bloggers/michael-sacco”>hair care tips in Azeroth.”

“I’m not sure that really qualifies as loot, Throgg,” Lolegolas said as he drew a nail buffer across his fingernails. “And certainly not any kind of awesome loot.”

“Little elf,” Throgg said, “you’re the one who brought it up. I’m more surprised you’re not all, ‘Oh my god, you can read?’ Where did you learn commenting skills?”

“I learned it by watching you!” Lolegolas cried plaintively.

WoWhead.com/item=57431″>Strategy Guide
Type: Off-hand

• 3 Intellect
• Improves hit rating by 3 (0.92% @ level 25)

How to get it: Win a WoWhead.com/quest=25669″>Rumble in the Lumber … Mill
How to get rid of it: The strategy sells for 12 silver and 26 copper.

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WoW.com/media/2010/07/lordwalden_thumbnail.jpg” /> WoW.com/category/phat-loot-phriday/”>Phat Loot Phriday brings you the scoop on some of the most … interesting loot in the World of Warcraft, often viewed through the eyes of the stalwart Throgg and indelible Lolegolas. Suggest items you think we should feature by emailing WoW.com”>gray@WoW.com.

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Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/phat-loot-phriday/” rel=”tag”>Phat Loot Phriday

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/phat-loot-phriday-strategy-guide/”>Phat Loot Phriday: Strategy Guide originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WoWhead.com/item=57431″>Read | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/phat-loot-phriday-strategy-guide/” rel=”bookmark” title=”Permanent link to this entry”>Permalink | WoW.joystiq.com/forward/19654621/” title=”Send this entry to a friend via email”>Email this | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/phat-loot-phriday-strategy-guide/#comments” title=”View reader comments on this entry”>Comments

This week’s guest post assignment is for the Cataclysm beta testers out there. Our apologies to those of you not in the beta; we’ll have a fun assignment that will include everyone next week.

Beta testers, we’re looking for reviews of the newly renovated zones in Cataclysm. All of the sub-80 zones that have been heavily renovated are up for grabs, with two exceptions:

• WoW.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/cataclysm-beta-northern-stranglethorn-and-the-cape-of-stranglet/”>Stranglethorn Vale
• WoW.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/cataclysm-beta-western-plaguelands/”>Western Plaguelands

The two reviews linked above, written by our very own Michael Sacco, are the rough examples you should follow for content. For full details on this assignment, follow us behind the break.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/call-for-submissions-cataclysm-zone-reviews/” rel=”bookmark”>Continue reading Call for Submissions: Cataclysm zone reviews

Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/WoW-insider-business/” rel=”tag”>WoW.com Business, WoW.joystiq.com/category/guest-posts/” rel=”tag”>Guest Posts

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/call-for-submissions-cataclysm-zone-reviews/”>Call for Submissions: Cataclysm zone reviews originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pop law abounds in WoW.joystiq.com/category/the-lawbringer/”>The Lawbringer, your weekly dose of WoW, the law, video games and the MMO genre. Running parallel to the games we love and enjoy is a world full of rules, regulations, pitfalls and traps. How about you hang out with us as we discuss some of the more esoteric aspects of the games we love to play?

There’s this place downtown that I know. You’ve probably been warned about it — a seedy place of corruption, danger, intrigue, questionable math, and WoWhead.com/zone=3845″>Tempest Keep runs where the WoWhead.com/item=32458″>Ashes of Al’ar are on reserve. You’ll never be able to link WoWhead.com/item=19019″>Thunderfury last. This article is not for the faint of heart, so if you are easily offended, I would advise turning around 180 degrees and walking away. We’re talking trade chat.

This week, we talk about five ways trade chat can get you into some trouble with Blizzard. From naming violations to impersonating and scamming players, you can strand yourself out on some pretty thin ice with the GMs at Blizzard by violating the Terms of Use. For the sake of everyone else in game, don’t.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/the-lawbringer-5-ways-trade-chat-can-get-you-in-trouble/” rel=”bookmark”>Continue reading The Lawbringer: 5 ways trade chat can get you in trouble

Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/analysis-opinion/” rel=”tag”>Analysis / Opinion, WoW.joystiq.com/category/the-lawbringer/” rel=”tag”>The Lawbringer

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/the-lawbringer-5-ways-trade-chat-can-get-you-in-trouble/”>The Lawbringer: 5 ways trade chat can get you in trouble originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/the-lawbringer-5-ways-trade-chat-can-get-you-in-trouble/” rel=”bookmark” title=”Permanent link to this entry”>Permalink | WoW.joystiq.com/forward/19655542/” title=”Send this entry to a friend via email”>Email this | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/the-lawbringer-5-ways-trade-chat-can-get-you-in-trouble/#comments” title=”View reader comments on this entry”>Comments

WoW Insider is just about settled in here at our new domain, so it’s time we gave you another reminder to update your bookmarks and RSS feeds. On Monday, Oct. 4, the WoW.com domain will no longer redirect you to us here at WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW.joystiq.com. Your WoW.com RSS feed will also no longer work.

If you want to keep up with us after the final switch, you’ll want to bookmark either WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW.joystiq.com or WoWinsider.com”>WoWInsider.com. If you want to update your RSS feed, head over to WoW.joystiq.com/feeds”>our feeds page for a full list of the feeds we offer. WoW.joystiq.com/rss.xml”>Our main feed lets you subscribe to all of the articles we publish, or you can also subscribe to specific columns and categories.

Thank you for reading WoW Insider and being understanding during this transition. Our readers mean a great deal to us. We would hate to lose you in the move.

Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/WoW-insider-business/” rel=”tag”>WoW.com Business

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/remember-to-update-your-WoW-insider-bookmarks/”>Remember to update your WoW Insider bookmarks originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/remember-to-update-your-WoW-insider-bookmarks/” rel=”bookmark” title=”Permanent link to this entry”>Permalink | WoW.joystiq.com/forward/19657701/” title=”Send this entry to a friend via email”>Email this | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/remember-to-update-your-WoW-insider-bookmarks/#comments” title=”View reader comments on this entry”>Comments

WoW.com/category/drama-mamas/”>Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas — and just as we don’t want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm.

Throughout history, there have been more songs written about love than any topic. Sad songs, happy songs, angry songs — all of the facets of love have been and will continue to be explored in popular music. And as long as there has been roleplaying, people have been falling in real love with each other through playing fake characters. Keep reading for fake love turning into real love and me going off on a tangent about love songs.

Dear Drama Mamas,

I’ve been a roleplayer for several years, and for the first time I developed a crush on my character’s in-game partner. Our characters have been a couple for six months. While their relationship evolved from flirting and banter into deep, passionate love and then sharing a home, our out-of-character relationship tightened too. We would flirt, exchange secrets we told no other soul, pull all-nighters chatting. He really is a charming, understanding, considerate and giving person.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/drama-mamas-i-think-im-in-love-with-my-rp-partner/” rel=”bookmark”>Continue reading Drama Mamas: I think I’m in love with my RP partner

Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/analysis-opinion/” rel=”tag”>Analysis / Opinion, WoW.joystiq.com/category/rp/” rel=”tag”>RP, WoW.joystiq.com/category/drama-mamas/” rel=”tag”>Drama Mamas

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/drama-mamas-i-think-im-in-love-with-my-rp-partner/”>Drama Mamas: I think I’m in love with my RP partner originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/drama-mamas-i-think-im-in-love-with-my-rp-partner/” rel=”bookmark” title=”Permanent link to this entry”>Permalink | WoW.joystiq.com/forward/19654314/” title=”Send this entry to a friend via email”>Email this | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/drama-mamas-i-think-im-in-love-with-my-rp-partner/#comments” title=”View reader comments on this entry”>Comments

Welcome back to WoW.com/category/the-queue”>The Queue, WoW Insider’s daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Mike Sacco will be your host today.

Don’t like kittens? Too bad, I’ve got a room full of them, plus enough pictures of them to wallpaper the Taj Mahal.

Nyold asked:

I have a question about mastery system. A lot of the description says something like “each point of mastery increases the damage by an additional 2%.” Does this mean each mastery RATING found in gear, or is there another conversion from mastery rating to mastery skill (kinda like how crit rating and crit percentage is)?

Mastery works like most other ratings in that there’s a conversion from the points you have on gear (rating) to the effect you see on your character window (skill). The formula varies from spec to spec.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/the-queue-yes-kittens-again/” rel=”bookmark”>Continue reading The Queue: Yes, kittens again

Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/the-queue/” rel=”tag”>The Queue

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/the-queue-yes-kittens-again/”>The Queue: Yes, kittens again originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/the-queue-yes-kittens-again/” rel=”bookmark” title=”Permanent link to this entry”>Permalink | WoW.joystiq.com/forward/19657526/” title=”Send this entry to a friend via email”>Email this | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/the-queue-yes-kittens-again/#comments” title=”View reader comments on this entry”>Comments

In WoW.joystiq.com/tag/patch-4.0.1/”>patch 4.0.1, Blizzard will roll out a new “flexible raid lock” system in Icecrown Citadel and The Ruby Sanctum. This system has a few major changes in it, outlined below:

• You are no longer locked to the raid upon zoning in, but to a specific boss kill.
• You are no longer locked to a specific raid size or group.
• Heroics have greater restrictions placed on them.
• All Wrath raids will use this system once Cataclysm releases.
• All Cataclysm raids will use this system.
• This only applies to raids and not to normal or heroic dungeons.

The full Blizzard statement after the break.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/flexible-raid-locks-in-patch-4-0-1/” rel=”bookmark”>Continue reading Flexible raid locks in patch 4.0.1

Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/news-items/” rel=”tag”>News items

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/flexible-raid-locks-in-patch-4-0-1/”>Flexible raid locks in patch 4.0.1 originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/flexible-raid-locks-in-patch-4-0-1/” rel=”bookmark” title=”Permanent link to this entry”>Permalink | WoW.joystiq.com/forward/19657376/” title=”Send this entry to a friend via email”>Email this | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/flexible-raid-locks-in-patch-4-0-1/#comments” title=”View reader comments on this entry”>Comments

We often utter a small sigh of nostalgia as an expansion leaves us. Don’t get me wrong. I am very excited to see a new world and I can’t wait to play Cataclysm. But I have fond memories of my years in Azeroth. I sometimes look back on the way things “used to be” and miss old, familiar faces.

I’ve covered Yesterday’s News by Slashdance before, but as I sit here wondering what the future will be like, I am reminded of the sad story of the dwarf who makes the summoning stones. The summoning stone was once hailed as an innovation that saved immense time and trouble. Now? They’re barely used. This is a fantastic story, and it all sums up how I feel looking forward to Cataclysm. The ability to capture that kind of complex emotion is part of the brilliance of Yesterday’s News, and I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I did.

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WoW.com/media/2009/03/britney_moviewatch_l_thumbnail.jpg” />Interested in the wide world of WoW.com/category/machinima/”>machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW.com/category/WoW-moviewatch/”>WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at WoW.com”>machinima@WoW.com.

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Filed under: WoW.joystiq.com/category/WoW-moviewatch/” rel=”tag”>WoW Moviewatch

WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/WoW-moviewatch-yesterdays-news/”>WoW Moviewatch: Yesterday’s News originally appeared on WoW.joystiq.com”>WoW Insider on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/WoW-moviewatch-yesterdays-news/” rel=”bookmark” title=”Permanent link to this entry”>Permalink | WoW.joystiq.com/forward/19657174/” title=”Send this entry to a friend via email”>Email this | WoW.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/WoW-moviewatch-yesterdays-news/#comments” title=”View reader comments on this entry”>Comments