See that shocked look on Thrall's face above? That guy's the leader of the Horde, and he just read (on WoW.com, of course) that for the first time, players of World of Warcraft will be able to switch their factions -- players will be able to leave his Horde, and those dirty Alliance might come to his side. No wonder he's so shocked. That story and more in this week's most popular posts from Joystiq's Azeroth-obsessed sister site.

News

• Faction changes coming to World of Warcraft
  Horde can be Alliance, Alliance can be Horde, cats and dogs sleeping together! It's lunacy!
• Patch 3.2 PTR unveils Tier 9 sets
  The next level of epic armor is coming to the game in the latest content patch...
• Patch 3.2 PTR Tier 9 set names
  ...And it's got a great set of lore names to go with along with it.
• Patch 3.2 upcoming Engineering changes
  Big changes for one of the game's most popular professions.
• Exodus punished for exploiting Yogg-Saron encounter
  After a guild accomplishes a world-first achievement kill, Blizzard determines they didn't quite follow the rules.
  

Features

• Patch 3.2 PTR: Tauren Druid conversation may reveal lore and expansion secrets
  A pair of Druids chatting in the new content patch might hint at the future of the game.
• The OverAchiever: Guide to Midsummer Fire Festival achievements
  Azeroth is heating up with the Fire Festival -- here's how to get everything done this week.
• Arcane Brilliance: More questions than answers
  Our Mage columnist didn't get all his questions answered in Blizzard's recent Q&A article about the class.
• Patch 3.2 PTR: New heirloom items gallery
  A pictoral look at some new heirloom items headed to the game.
• WoW Casually: What Patch 3.2 means for casuals
  Oh, you don't raid five times a week? Patch 3.2 has something for you as well.

The best of WoW.com: June 23-30, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News

• Upcoming mount changes
  Required levels for mounts are being lowered, as are the costs for each.
• Isle of Conquest details released
  Hot new deets on the game's upcoming battleground instance.
• Mountain Dew Battle-bots now live
  Mountain Dew released their promotional in-game items -- come and get 'em while they're... bot?
• New zeppelin and portals coming in Patch 3.2
  In addition to the mount updates, Blizzard is adding a new zep to ride and a portal straight to Outland. How convenient!
• Yogg Saron and Flame Leviathan nerfed tonight
  Two Ulduar bosses get hit with the nerf bat.

Features

• Guildwatch: He's really, really sorry
  Drama, downed, and recruiting news from around the realms.
• Ten things WoW players should know from E3
  Activision is bigger than ever, the MMO genre is widening, and wow, Star Wars: The Old Republic looks good.
• Addon Spotlight: Essential addons for raid leaders
  Our weekly column for UI addons examines some recommended installs for those leading raids.
• Popular scams and how to avoid them
  There are scams aplenty in Azeroth, so here's some tips on how to dodge them.
• WoW, Casually: Tips for leveling on a PvP realm
  Play on a player vs. player realm but don't want to die that often? Here's how to stay alive.

The best of WoW.com: June 9-16, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News

• Beware of Blood Elves selling mounts
  One of our writers' friends falls prey to the game's newest scam.
• Achieved: Level 1 to 80 with no deaths
  A character appropriately named Cautious reached the highest level in the game without dying once.
• Revamped Night Elf Druid cat forms revealed
  New looks for Night Elf Druids.
• Zarhym explains Druid form color combos
  Want to make sure your Druid has the form you want? Here's how.
• Ensidia gets world-first Algalon 25-man kill
  One of the game's biggest pro guilds downs the last major boss in the current content.

Features

• An interview with a scammer
  The perp in the article above gets the WoW.com interview spotlight shined on him.
• WoW, Casually: Rating the classes for casuals
  Which class is best to play for a casual player?
• Arcane Brilliance: Reaching the hit cap
  Mages, here's how to make the most out of those spells you're casting.
• The lore of Ulduar
  The latest game dungeon has more than a few hooks and hints into the rest of the World of Warcraft.
• The Queue: Waterfalls
  Our Q&A column will actually go chasing waterfalls to find answers to your questions. Not just stick to the rivers and the lakes that they're used to.

The best of WoW.com: June 2-9, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just in case you haven't heard, things are hopping over at Joystiq's sister site WoW.com (formerly WoW Insider). Not only are we continuing to post the most constant and in-depth news and views about the biggest game in the world (though not the best selling -- maybe we'll have to start a Wii Sports Insider, too), but we've now got your chance to head over and start up your own WoW blog, track your characters online, and even follow your friends and their activities ingame. Read our most popular posts from the past week below, and then head on over and make your own.

News

• Welcome to WoW.com!
  Yes, WoW Insider has undergone a facelift. And we've got some new junk in the trunk too, actually.
• Patch 3.2 details released
  Information from Blizzard about the game's next big content patch: a new BG, a new instance.
• More information on 3.2 release date, Coliseum, new battleground
  Filling in some of the blanks on what's in patch 3.2.
• Patch 3.1.2 goes live today
  Meanwhile, the Equipment Manager finally goes into the game, along with a few other changes.
• Insider Trader: Jewelcrafting nerf incoming
  Blizzard's taking the nerf bat to jewelcrafters and their prismatics.
  

Features

• Bolfang and the future of the Horde and the Alliance
  Bolvar, one of the Alliance's biggest lore characters, is MIA. We wonder where he might be...
• WoW.com Help
  Need to know how to get our new addon working or share your profile page with friends? Here you go.
• Phat Loot Phriday: Porcelain Bell
  Our weekly loot spotlight column examines the most valuable gray in the game so far.
• Time is Money: Saronite
  How to make some big bucks with some shiny ore.
• Forum Post of the Day: The end of big guilds
  The game seems targeted at making smaller, more flexible guilds the most successful. Could giant megaguilds be a thing of the past?

The best of WoW.com: May 19-26, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 May 2009 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The image above is by a WoW Insider reader named Raymond Liang -- he just won our fan art contest recently, and you can see his work and all of the other winners' over on our site right now. Just like the intrepid Troll and Blood Elf in the picture above, we're dedicated to bringing you the latest news from the World of Warcraft, even with a giant robot coming up behind us. Here are our most popular stories of the past week.

• BlizzCon ticket status
  BlizzCon ticket sales took place last Saturday, and things sold out in about 30 minutes. Here's the breakdown.
• Project 62*80: 62 level 80s by Christmas
  A World of Warcraft player wants to create 62, yes 62, level 80s by December 25th.
• Boom goes the servers
  Server issues bring the game down on a Friday night.
• Game Fuel pets for all. Sort of.
  Mountain Dew meets World of Warcraft in the form of a noncombat pet.
• Ensidia gets 10-man Algathon world first
  And yet again, the game has been beaten.

• The Queue: Going to the movies
  You have questions, and we endeavor to answer them for you.
• From our readers: Is my Ulduar-clearing guild holding me back?
  Is it possible to be in a guild that's too good?
• WoW Rookie: Filter out the @#*(!
  How to make sure you only see what you want.
• Ready Check: Casual meets hardcore
  What's the real difference between casual and hardcore players?
• Forum Post of the Day: Be disciplined about healing meters
  Healing meters definitely aren't everything when it comes to raiding performance.

The best of WoW Insider: May 12-19, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 May 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Welcome back to the Wacky World of Warcraft, where the men are men, the women are usually dragons of some kind, and the average faction leader is probably being mad with some kind of ill-gotten power. Confused? Wondering why that ugly-looking orc is approaching you with sword drawn? Worry not, WoW Insider is your all-encompassing guide to Azeroth. Just please keep your arms and legs inside the tram at all times -- you don't want to hear what happened to our friend Wirt.

News

• WoW Insider interviews Tom Chilton on Patch 3.1 and beyond
  We talk to the game's lead designer on the latest updates, and what's coming up next.
• Star Trek references in the World of Warcraft
  We've all (well, most of us -- ahem, Alex and Dan) seen Star Trek and loved it, so we compiled this little list of sightings in game.
• WoWMatrix responds to Curse and WoW Interface
  There was a kerfluffle in the addon scene lately, and popular addon updater WoWMatrix finally responds.
• BlizzCon tickets on sale May 16th
  Blizzard's convention is returning to the Anaheim Convention Center, and it'll cost you $125 and some time in line to go.
  
• Flying in old world Azeroth
  Blizzard has long said it wouldn't be possible to allow flying mounts in the original game world. And here's why.

Features

• Disappointment the patch 3.1 game world
  Not everything is hunky dory after the latest update -- at least one of our bloggers is a bit bored.
• Officers' Quarters: Fragmentation
  Our column for guild officers takes a look at who should get the game's newest legendary.
• The OverAchiever: Glory of the Hero strikes back
  How to do one of the biggest achievements in the game.
• WoW, Casually: Guide to the latest features
  Not every WoW player is a hardened veteran -- for the newer folks, there's WoW, Casually.
• Arcane Brilliance: PvPing as a Fire Mage after patch 3.1
  What's new in the world of Mages? Our Mage blogger Christian Belt tells you.

The best of WoW Insider: May 5-12, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 May 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Finding yourself lost in the World of Warcraft? Joystiq's sister site WoW Insider has everything you need to know about the biggest game around, whether you're a grizzled level 80 veteran, a newbie in the Ghostlands, or a former Molten Core raider finding yourself curious about rejoining the game. Here's our most popular posts about what's been going on in Azeroth lately.

News

• Player receives developer item in the mail, one-shots Ulduar
  The Game Masters accidentally send a killer shirt to a player, who then uses it to drop progression content.
• The Martin Fury scandal: Karatechop reveals all
  We talk with the player who got banned for using a GM item in Ulduar.
• WoW reference found in Wolverine game
  The creators of the new Wolverine videogame sneak in a WoW reference just for us.
• Ulduar nerfs and Blizzard's new raid philosophy
  Blizzard tweaks the newest raid instance, and shows their design cards a little bit.
• World of Warcraft patch 3.1.2 PTR notes
  There's a new patch on the Public Test Realm -- here's what's new.

Features

• The Queue: Mercenaries
  You ask, we answer. It's that easy.
• Guildwatch: It wasn't me, man
  Drama, downed, and recruiting news from guilds around the realms.
• Val'anyr explained
  What exactly does the game's newest legendary do for you? We'll tell you right here.
• Noblegarden: Sexy or sexist?
  The new Easter ingame holiday has you throwing bunny ears on females level 18 and up. Hot or not?
• Scattered Shots: Pets for raiding
  Hunters, if you need a pet to take along with you to Ulduar, look no further.

The best of WoW Insider: April 28 - May 5, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 May 2009 01:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News

• Val'anyr stats discovered
  A new legendary mace has been discovered in the game's new Ulduar instance.
• WoW Insider exclusive: PopCap releases Peggle for WoW
  Insert joke here about one addictive substance inside another.
• Video teases iPhone WoW client
  Blizzard will likely never let it happen, but a third party says they've gotten WoW running on the iPhone.
• Today's in-game fixes
  Two weeks later, Blizzard is still fixing a few issues from patch 3.1.
• The OverAchiever: Guide to Noblegarden Achievements
  Albeit a little late, Blizzard is finally celebrating their version of Easter on the live realms.

Features

• Varian Wrynn is right
  The Alliance's latest leader really, really hates the Horde. And here's why he should.
• The Queue: Raid goes up, boss goes down
  A little Queue and A about... whatever you want to know.
• Loot, rationality and The Sunwell Effect
  A great essay about what drives us to do what we do in-game, and how Blizzard can use that.
• Lichborne: A Patch 3.1 talent build cookie platter for Death Knights
  So you're a DK and you have no idea what talent build to choose after 3.1. If you're OK with a cookie cutter build, boy do we have a batch for you.
• Eggsellent Guidance: 30 Noblegarden eggs in 15 minutes
  The easiest and quickest way to collect some yolks for the latest holiday achievement.

The best of WoW Insider: April 21-28, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Patch 3.1 has been out for a week now in the World of Warcraft (in fact, patch 3.1.1 is coming out today), and players have tons to do -- we're all raiding Ulduar, playing around with dual specs, and leveling up through the Argent Tournament to become Champions of our own factions. In fact, there's a lot of new stuff in World of Warcraft, so if it ever gets overwhelming, worry not -- Joystiq's WoW Insider has you covered. Here's our most popular posts in the past week.

News

• WoW Insider's Guide to the Argent Tournament
  It's joustin' time in the World of Warcraft. Here's what you need to know.
• WoW Insider's Patch 3.1 FAQ
  Frequently asked questions about last week's patch, answered just for you.
• Ghostcrawler on the mechanics behind Armor Penetration
  One of the game's devs talks about one of the tougher damage dealing mechanics to figure out.
• First day for Champions on the Argent Tournament
  The very first class of Champions arises.
• Curse, WoW Interface band together to block WoWMatrix
  A small shakeup in the addon world leaves a few players hanging right around patch day.

Features

• Wrath 101: Emalon the Storm Watcher
  There's a new boss in the Wintergrasp Vault, and here's a quick guide to taking him down.
• The Queue: Service with a smile
  You ask, we answer. That's how it works.
• How to get the Turtle Mount
  Want to get your hands on the brand new aquatic mount? Here's a few tips.
• How to activate Ulduar's hard modes
  Sure, anybody can raid Ulduar. But can you do it on hard mode?
• Lichborne: Top Death Knight DPS builds and patch 3.1
  With dual specs out, everybody wants to know which builds are best. Our Death Knight column breaks down which talent points to look for in patch 3.1.

The best of WoW Insider: April 14-21, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The day World of Warcraft fans have been waiting for has finally come: Patch 3.1 is out today. There's new content, a new raid, a brand new dual spec system (for the first time, we'll be able to switch between character specs on a whim, with minimal costs), and tons of class changes, UI updates, and secrets to find. It's a whole new game! Wondering what's new in the patch? Check the links below for everything you need to know.

• WoW Insider's Guide to Patch 3.1
  Want to drink straight from the firehose? This is everything we've ever posted about patch 3.1, from the earliest hints and rumors to the final patch notes and galleries from the PTR. If it's in the patch, it's on this page.
• World of Warcraft Patch 3.1 Official patch notes
  All of Blizzard's changes... that they want to tell you about.
• Patch 3.1: Secrets of Ulduar in pictures
  Don't like reading? View everything new about the patch in pictoral form.
• WoW Patch 3.1: Class changes roundup
  From Mages to Death Knights, here's all of the class changes you'll be dealing with when the patch is live.
• Patch 3.1 Secrets of Ulduar roundup
  Everything we've unearthed about the new Titan-related raid.
• Dual speccing in three easy steps
  Unsure how to get your two specs going? Here's a quick and easy guide, backed up with everything we know about the system at release.
• The awesome weapons of the Argent Tournament
  Because despite all of the fun features and new environments, we're really in it for the loot, right?
• Official Ulduar cinematic revealed
  Thrall! Jaina! Wrynn! All of our heroes (except Saurfang, unfortunately) show up in this video prequel to the new content.

The best of WoW Insider: Special patch 3.1 edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

That big baddie above is rumored to be the second boss in the Vault of Archavon, an instance in Northrend that can only be reached when either the Horde or the Alliance conquer the contested territory of Wintergrasp. He looks dangerous, no? But worry not -- whether you're fighting for the Orcs or the Humans, Joystiq's WoW Insider has tips, tricks, and everything you need to conquer the Vault of Archavon or anywhere else in the World of Warcraft. Read on for some of our most popular posts.

News

• WoW Insider's Guide to Patch 3.1
  We're closer than ever to the next big content patch -- which means we know more than ever about what's in it.
• April Fools 2009 roundup
  A bevy of Warcraft-related jokes from the 4/1 holiday last week.
• WoW subscriber numbers still increasing, multiboxers trivial
  The devs confirm that the number of people in Azeroth is still going up.
• Noblegarden tentatively rescheduled for April 26th
  Blizzard goes a little late on a patch, so it actually reschedules the in-game Easter holiday.
• Battle.net login servers down again tonight
  Blizzard just recently transferred lots of player accounts onto the new Battle.net servers, but apparently they weren't quite up to the job.

Features

• Opinion: 25-man gear should not be better than 10-man gear
  The 10-man raids are actually harder than the 25-mans. So why is the gear worse?
• WoW Rookie: Gaming terminology 101
  Don't know your "LFG" from your "PST"? Let WoW Rookie help.
• The Art of War(craft): Wintergrasp in patch 3.1 and beyond
  All the news that's fit to print on the changes to the game's most popular battleground.
• Guildwatch: A kinder, gentler GW
  For April Fool's Day, our guild drama column decides to focus on the positive instead.
• Lichborne: Tradeskills for Death Knights
  Profession help for former members of Arthas' army.

The best of WoW Insider: March 31 - April 7, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News

• WoW Insider's Guide to Patch 3.1
  Our constantly updated guide to the new patch will you get you as ready as you can be.
• Orangemarmalade's 1 vs. 2 comeback explained
  A play-by-play of how an Arena Mage was able to conquer two players in one match.
• Vaneras answers a whole lot of Mage questions
  The casters among you may want to read what Blizzard has to say about the Mage class.
• iPhone Authenticator now in App Store for free
  Blizzard releases a free mobile authenticator program for your iPhone or iPod touch.
• 65% fewer Arena teams in Season 5
  Where exactly have all the Arena players gone?

Features

• The Queue: Scantily clad edition
  The Q&A column answers exactly why women in the game seem to have such skimpy gear.
• Scattered Shots: Finding a unique pet
  Need a singular pet for your Hunter? Let us help.
• Ready Check: Ulduar and burnout
  Raiders aren't quite as happy as they could be with the raiding game.
• Spiritual Guidance: Sartharion with all drakes
  How to help out a Sarth 3D run on your healing Priest.
• Time is Money: Low-level cloth
  Where to make the money with Wool, Mageweave and Runecloth.

The best of WoW Insider: March 24-31, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News

• WoW Insider's Guide to Patch 3.1
  Everything you need to know about the upcoming content patch, and then some.
• Tier 8 set bonuses hit the PTRs
  Time once again to drool over gear you'll probably never wear.
• New addon policy makes selling addons against the rules
  Blizzard says no to in-game donation buttons and outright selling third-party addons.
• World of Warcraft Mountain Dew coming soon
  Game fuel is returning, in a few Azeroth-inspired flavors.
• Confirmed: New battleground on the way
  Blizzard is still planning on beefing up the in-game battleground situation.

Features

• The Queue: Item level, attunement, and more
  We answer your questions... with answers.
• Spiritual Guidance: The Undying experience of a Priest
  How to get 10 people through Naxxramas without losing a life.
• Encrypted Text: Why patch 3.1 won't transform Rogues
  Hoping 3.1 will make your stabby dreams come true? Better not hold your breath.
• Arcane Brilliance: I still don't like spirit
  More Mage updates in preparation for the new patch.
• Ready Check: Nearly Immortal
  10 people living through Naxx too easy for you? Try 25.

The best of WoW Insider: March 17-24, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Things are hopping (as always) in World of Warcraft -- we're still waiting for an impending content patch, and the Public Test Realm (or the PTR, as we like to call it) is thriving with huge patch 3.1 changes and game updates. Even if you're not interested in World of Warcraft, the new patch is worth a look over at WoW Insider: our good friends at Blizzard are revolutionizing massively multiplayer gaming with every change they announce.

News

• WoW Insider's Guide to Patch 3.1
  Everything you need to know about the upcoming patch and then some. If you only click on one WoW-related link today, make this it.
• New mounts for Horde fishers in 3.1
  To re-balance the mount outage, Horde will be able to fish up a new mount soon.
• Full Tier 8 armor sets beginning to emerge
  All of the shinies we'll soon be pining for in the game.
• Ulduar achievements unveiled
  Check out what Blizzard has in store for all of the new raid's hard modes.
• Background downloader active for patch 3.1
  It begins. Some parts of the new patch are ready for primetime.

Continue reading The best of WoW Insider: March 10-17, 2009

The best of WoW Insider: March 10-17, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News

• Full Tier 8 armor sets beginning to emerge
  Gallery previews of the soon-to-be hottest armor in the game.
• Ulduar on the Patch 3.1 PTR: The Flame Leviathan
  We walk you through the first boss in Ulduar, the game's next new raid instance.
• Ulduar on the Patch 3.1 PTR: Ignis the Furnace Master
  Another big bad in the Titan-built Ulduar.
• Patch 3.1 PTR Build 9658 Warrior changes
  Warriors can now remove Paladin shields? Yeah, that's a big change.
• Retribution DPS too low
  Ghostcrawler comes out and says what Retadins everywhere are already thinking.

Features

• WoW Insider's Guide to Patch 3.1
  Everything you need to know about the new patch, all in one place, and updated often.
• Guildwatch: Ok, ready for summon
  Because, sometimes, you just need to revel in how petty and childish guild members can be.
• The Queue: Hard mode is Hard
  Among the Q&A in our daily column, someone wants to know just how hard Ulduar really is.
• Time is Money: Selling your quest rewards
  Our new column on making money fast in-game tells you how to get the most out of quest spoils.
• Shifting Perspectives: Tanks, Wrath, and crushing blows
  Even Blizzard enjoyed this great column on how Tanks are handling the damage that gets thrown at them.

The best of WoW Insider: March 3-10, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News

• WoW Insider's Guide to Patch 3.1
  Top to bottom coverage of the upcoming content patch.
• Full Tier 8 armor sets beginning to emerge
  We're getting our first looks at the hot new armor coming out of the endgame instances.
• Datamined Ulduar boss information, with analysis
  What kinds of bosses will you be facing down in the new Ulduar raid instance? We'll let you know.
• WoW PTR 3.1: Swimming mount video
  Take your mounts for a swim with videos of every single mount we could find.
• PTR quests show hard mode, Ulduar storyline, and Val'anyr
  Definite spoilers here, but if you want a look at what we'll be questing for in the new content, check this out.

Features

• Guildwatch: Brother against brother
  Our guild gossip column dives into the worst of guild drama from around the realms just for your enjoyment.
• The Queue: Missing out
  Have questions about the World of Warcraft? Our Q&A column has answers.
• Insider Trader: Your livelihood after patch 3.1
  How you'll make your money after the new content patch comes out.
• Arcane Brilliance: Mage changes (or lack of) on the PTR
  So what's up with Mages on the PTR? Not much, apparently.
• WoW Insider Show Episode 79: Argently competing
  Our weekly podcast lays down the lowdown on the latest in game news.

The best of WoW Insider: February 24 - March 3, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's a crazy day over on WoW Insider -- the next content patch, 3.1, has hit the Public Test Realm, and there's a dragon-sized amount of information coming out: new raids, new instances, new world events, new mounts, new pets, new armor, new mechanics, and much more. Stay tuned to Joystiq's Azeroth-addicted sister site to hear about what's new in the World of Warcraft.

News

• WoW Insider's guide to patch 3.1
  This is it -- everything you need to know about the new patch, updated with all of the brand new info from the PTR release.
• World of Warcraft 3.1 PTR patch notes
  Hot patch notes coming through, directly from the Public Test Realm.
  
• Patch 3.1 undocumented changes
  Everything on the new patch that isn't covered in the official notes.
• The Argent Tournament in patch 3.1
  A brand new world event that no one saw coming -- we're going to be fighting in vehicles soon, thanks to patch 3.1.
• Dual specs currently cost 1000g
  Oh, did you think you were getting a second spec for free? Think again.

Features

• Guildwatch: Leave Tankserious alone!
  Not everything is about patch 3.1 lately -- sometimes it's just about good old drama.
• The Queue: I have no regrets. Well, maybe one...
  Our Q&A column keeps things interesting, even on maintenance day.
• Ready Check: Sartharion plus three drakes
  An in-depth guide from our raiding column on the hardest encounter currently in the game.
• 15 Minutes of Fame: WoW Botter tells all
  We get the inside scoop from a bot user himself.
• Lichborne: Top Death Knight DPS builds and patch 3.1
  Our Death Knight columnist lays out a few good talent builds for DKs in the new patch.

The best of WoW Insider: February 17-24, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

News

• The Ice Stone has melted!
  Confusion reigned over a world event bug this week: what was the Ice Stone and who forgot to put it in the fridge?
• WoW Insider's guide to patch 3.1
  Everything you need to know about the game's next content patch, continually updated.
• Dual spec Q&A with Ghostcrawler
  One of the game's devs lets us in on the plans behind the much-awaited dual spec feature.
• Voidwalker raid tanking going away
  Warlock pets tanking? Blizzard is putting the kibosh on that.
• Jeff Kaplan leaving World of Warcraft
  The game's last original top dev heads off to Blizzard's new MMO.

Features

• The Queue: Change we can believe in
  You've got questions, The Queue has your answers.
• Encrypted Text: Why the 3.0.9 Rogue changes were necessary
  The latest bugfix changes get discussed in our Rogue column.
• WoW Rookie: Level 80 -- now what?
  You've done it -- you've finally hit level 80, but you're not sure where to go next. Let the WoW Rookie help.
• Please give me something to grind
  Blizzard has gone out of their way this expansion to make leveling and questing as varied as possible -- which is why Alex just wants to do some mindless grinding.
• Officers' Quarters: Dual spec, double loot?
  How to deal with the dual spec system while dealing out loot to a raid.

The best of WoW Insider: February 10-17, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Busy week over at WoW Insider -- we've got another patch on the horizon and a whole new set of changes to digest. If it's in the World of Warcraft, we've got news and views about it.

News

• WoW Insider's guide to Patch 3.1
  Everything you need to know about the new patch -- and even some things you don't.
• Patch 3.0.9 to go live this week
  Blizzard puts another set of hotfixes in the mix.
• Best. Bug. Ever.
  A Death Knight's Death Grip can send you on a trip around the world.
• Big changes for Hunters in patch 3.1
  Something we never thought would happen has: Ammunition is out of the game.
• Mana regeneration changing dramatically in 3.1
  Blizzard is flipping the script on regenerating mana in the next patch.

Features

• The Queue: Legendaries are for suckers
  Forget purple -- orange is the new awesome.
• Wrath 101: Darkmoon cards
  A look at the new decks in Wrath.
• The OverAchiever: 100 Mounts Achievements
  Our brand new achievements column will help you get all the mounts you can handle, including the Albino Drake above.
  
• Ready Check: Preparing for Ulduar
  What to do when you're expecting... a new raid.
• Totem Talk: 3.1 shocks and awes Shamans
  

The best of WoW Insider: February 3-10, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This past week in the World of Warcraft was enough to make moonkins laugh with glee (that's what a moonkin is above, in case you don't know your WoW lingo). And WoW Insider covered it all -- here's our top 10 posts of the week for you to peruse at your pleasure.

News

• Believe it or don't: Patch 3.1 notes leaked?
  These patch notes were later confirmed as fake. But they sure look purty.
• Mysterious twink rends worlds
  A level 10 twink ... that beat Gruul?
• Tier 8 preview video
  A look at the new gear you'll probably never have.
• Official 3.0.8.9506 patch notes
  Bugfixes for bugfixes in the latest patch to the game.
• Replenishment is mandatory, and other buff discussion from Ghostcrawler
  The forum dev with the mostest ruffles a few buff feathers.

Features

• Guildwatch: Topping meters on every character, every night
  Drama, downed, and recruiting news from guilds around the realms.
• The Queue: Last rites
  Our Q&A column answers what to do with just one month left in the game, and other reader questions.
• Ask a Lore Nerd: More Scourge love
  Some people know some lore. The Lore Nerd knows all.
• Scattered Shots: Hunter changes in 3.0.9 and 3.1
  Our Hunter column examines the future of the ranged DPSers.
• WoW Rookie: Will my computer run WoW?
  Unsure if your PC will play? Let our beginner column help you out.

The best of WoW Insider: January 27 - February 3, 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.