World of Warcraft is a work in progress. Keep in mind that anything mentioned here may change. This document reflects the current state of the game at the time of each FAQ update.

What is an MMORPG?
MMORPG stands for massively multiplayer online role-playing game. In an MMORPG, thousands of players exist in the same game world at the same time. This creates an incredibly rich and active environment in which interesting things are constantly taking place. MMORPGs provide thousands of hours of game play, with a nearly infinite variety of goals to achieve across a vast world covering miles of land and sea. For World of Warcraft, we will also be adding new content on a regular basis, thus ensuring that there will always be new adventures, new locations, new creatures, and new items to discover.

When will the game be released?
We have not yet announced a release date for World of Warcraft. MMORPGs are vast and complex; we want to make sure that we take the time necessary to develop a game that will meet the high standards that our developers and fans have come to expect from Blizzard games.

How will World of Warcraft differ from other MMORPGs?
World of Warcraft will differ from other MMORPGs in many ways. One of our main goals is to ensure that players can enjoy World of Warcraft without having to invest huge amounts of playtime. Players will be able to complete quests and experience the world at their own pace-whether it be a few hours here and there, or week-long adventuring marathons. Additionally, our quest system will provide an enormous variety of captivating quests with story elements, dynamic events, and flexible reward systems. World of Warcraft will also feature a faster style of play, with less downtime and an emphasis on combat and tactics against multiple opponents. We also plan to incorporate several unique features, which we'll disclose throughout the course of development.

Will there be monthly fee to play the game?
Yes; however, we are still investigating our business model and have not yet determined what the fee will be.

Why isn't World of Warcraft free?
World of Warcraft will require a fee to play. This fee will be used to support the costs associated with the high-quality levels of service, support, and ongoing content creation that we are planning for World of Warcraft.

Will there be multiple methods of payment besides just credit cards?
Yes, we plan to support a range of payment methods. However, we are still working out our business model, so the specifics on which payment methods will be available have not been finalized.

How will the game be distributed or sold?
Gamers will be able to purchase World of Warcraft at retail outlets, online sites, or directly from Blizzard Entertainment. However, in order to play you will need to sign up for a monthly account.

Will World of Warcraft be playable on a Mac and are people currently testing it on Macs?
Yes, to both. The game will be available on a Mac and there are people currently playing on Macs. Minimum specifications have not yet been determined.

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Will there be Cinematic sequences in the game?
Yes. The Blizzard Film Department will create cinematic sequences for World of Warcraft. We do not anticipate, however, that the game will have as many as our previous games due to the nature of Massively Multiplayer Role Playing Games. You can see the first cinematic for World of Warcraft on the movies page.

Will there be a Buddy or Friend list?
World of Warcraft will include a full-featured Friends interface with a number of different features for managing your interaction with the online community.

Will there be player housing?
We would like to include player housing, but it is too early to determine whether doing so would be plausible.

Will there be a bank? How much will it hold?
Yes, there will be a bank with ample storage space to hold multiple player items. This option will allow players to store as many items as they need without requiring them to create additional characters to store surplus items.

What information will the minimap display?
The minimap will show various points of interest, such as towns and major cities. Members of your group will also show up, and if they're out of range, an arrow will indicate which direction they're in. Also viewable in the minimap are various locations of things in the world, depending on what your character's skills are, such as mineral nodes, herbs, and so on.

Will I be able to place flags on the minimap to mark locations I wish to return to later?
You can ping the minimap to make group members aware of a particular area. You will also be able to make notes on the world map.

What does the World Map display?
You can see the entire world at once, view half the world, or zoom into particular zones, which will show areas that you've already discovered. You'll also be able to place a rally point on the zone map that group members will see; this will be used for navigational purposes.

Will the User-Interface be customizable?
For those with the desire to customize certain aspects of the UI, they will be able to utilize XML to do so.

What are the different chat options?
The chat system is still in development. The current system includes guild chat and a way for players to create their own chat channels. More options are being created.

Can you display both the melee damage and chat windows at the same time?
Yes.

Will there be a follow option?
Currently, you can follow any player.

Will there be a Hardcore Mode?
No. Hardcore Mode is a feature in the Diablo universe.

Can you play the game in the first person view?
Yes, World of Warcraft can be played in first person view. Different viewing options can be selected by utilizing either the keyboard or the mouse.

Will the game have a built in MP3 player?
No, but because the game can be played in a window, you will be free to run your own MP3 player in the background.

Can you run World of Warcraft in a window?
Yes, the game can be run in a window, or if you prefer full screen, you will have the ability to alt-tab out of the game.

Will there be music in the game?
Yes, there will be music everywhere. The music will change depending on your character's location and what is happening around you at the time.

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What are the game's system requirements?
We have not yet finalized the system requirements for World of Warcraft. As with our past games, our goal is to ensure that the game will run on a wide variety of 3D cards and at a wide range of processor speeds.

For what platforms will the game be available?
The game will be available on PCs and the Macs. We are developing both versions simultaneously and will be shipping them at the same time, as with our other recent games.

Does the game require a 3D accelerator?
Yes, the game will require a 3D graphics card. Again, we will support a wide range of 3D cards.

Will the game be playable over a modem?
Yes.

What is the camera perspective of the game?
The game supports 1st- and 3rd-person cameras. Players will be able to utilize the mouse wheel to choose the camera angle they prefer for their situation and switch between cameras on the fly.

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How do the World of Warcraft gameplay servers relate to Battle.net and/or the Diablo Realms?
The World of Warcraft servers will utilize an entirely new network architecture that has been designed from the ground up specifically for this style of gameplay. We created this next-generation architecture by incorporating our vast knowledge of multiplayer gaming along with our numerous Battle.net and Diablo experiences.

Where will servers be located?
World of Warcraft servers will be located around the globe in order to support our gaming community worldwide.

How many players will you support?
Players will be divided into several Realms, each realm comprising a complete version of the game world. The development team is currently finalizing the number of players that will occupy a Realm.

How many Realms will there be when World of Warcraft is released? What are the Realm names?
We will have as many servers online as necessary. Others will be held in reserve and will be set up the moment they are needed. Realm names have not yet been assigned.

Will there be a limit to the number of players on a Realm?
We are currently evaluating the optimal number of players per Realm. Our plan is to create a solution that fosters a sense of community and helps to prevent overcrowding. We understand fully that the number of players on a server directly impacts this and will be working closely with the community during the beta test program to fine tune this number.

Will players be able to select what Realm they play on?
Yes.

Will player names be unique on each Realm?
Yes. In order to promote individuality, World of Warcraft will feature an advanced naming system allowing players to create a unique name for their characters on each Realm.

Will there be player-vs.-player servers on which players can fight other players anywhere in the world?
We have discussed such a setup, but we haven't made any final decisions on this yet.

Will there be Realms specifically for role-playing?
We want to ensure that role-players will have the best experience possible in World of Warcraft. This may include having specific role-playing servers, (and probably will) but that decision has not yet been reached.

Will players be able to have characters on more than one server without paying additional fees?
There will be one monthly fee to play World of Warcraft and it will apply to all of your characters, regardless of what server they are on.

Will players be able to host small (8 players max), temporary servers on their own machine?
We will not allow players to run their own servers for World of Warcraft. A massively multiplayer online role-playing game demands a high level of server security and a well-connected community to flourish and evolve. We are focusing all of our networking efforts on creating such an environment.

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When in the timeline does World of Warcraft take place?
World of Warcraft takes place four years following the aftermath of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos™, when a great tension has settled over the ravaged world of Azeroth.

We've seen from an older screenshot that the Dark Portal has been rebuilt (after having been destroyed in Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal). Can you give us any background on why it's back or what role it'll play in the game?
The foundation of the Dark Portal was never destroyed, even though the connection of the worlds was severed. While it is no longer active, there is a legend of a ritual contained within Medivh's spellbook that might one day allow powerful Warlocks to open the portal.

Will World of Warcraft mix with Warcraft III? If there are new foes, do they include the Undead or Burning Legion?
World of Warcraft will be set in lands both familiar and new to long-time players of the series. It is difficult to discuss the World of Warcraft story without giving away the plot for Warcraft III. We can say that Azeroth will experience significant changes and be a very different world than Warcraft fans know today. And, while there will be plenty of recognizable characters and places to explore, we think that the balance between discovering what is known and what is different is something that players will really enjoy.

In regard to the inclusion of the Undead or Burning Legion, you will just have to wait and see...

What continents are in World of Warcraft? Will they be familiar to fans of the Warcraft RTS series?
Currently, players will be able to explore the lands of Azeroth, Khaz Modan, Lordaeron, and the newly discovered lands of Kalimdor. Players familiar with the Warcraft series will find that we have depicted nearly every location from the Warcraft universe in World of Warcraft.

How many continents/islands will there be? How big will the world be?
World of Warcraft will be vastly larger than any other universe found in previous Blizzard games. In World of Warcraft, players can expect to journey through the familiar lands of Azeroth, Khaz Modan, and Lordaeron, to name a few. The game will also feature several uncharted and exotic new lands. We are expanding the Warcraft universe because we believe that a critical part of the MMORPG experience is the ability to journey through robust new lands. Our goal is to create a vast new world filled with adventure and excitement, while keeping the game fully populated to support a strong sense of community.

Will there be "zones" in World of Warcraft?
World of Warcraft will not feature "zones" in the traditional sense denoting loading screens between each area of gameplay. Our plan is to incorporate different regions of the world for players to explore, each with their own distinct look and theme. Questing through the majority of these regions will be seamless, however, certain regions may require a short load time.

Will you be able to visit the familiar locations from Warcraft, Warcraft II and so on?
Most definitely. Players will explore the ruins of old battles, interact with legendary heroes, and visit many of the locations that have made the Warcraft series so memorable.

Will there be water-based, interactive environments?
Yes.

What is the time cycle in World of Warcraft?
Currently, the game is set to run on a 24 hour time cycle which is dependant on where each server is located. This is one of those things that is being looked at closely, and is subject to change before the game is released.

What kind of weather effects will there be in the game?
Players will experience numerous changes in weather throughout the world. The game features dynamic skies and clouds giving players the ability to actually see clouds begin to form and coalesce into stormy weather. Snow, rain, and fog are just some of many additional weather effects players can expect to find in the game.

Can you explain a little about how the dungeons work in World of Warcraft?
Players will come across two types of dungeons while playing the game: micro dungeons and world dungeons. There are more than a hundred micro dungeons throughout the world of Azeroth, ranging in relative size from small to quite big. Micro-dungeon locations will include tombs, haunted mines, ice caves, and sunken ships to name a few. The transition into and out of these dungeons will be seamless, and you'll be able to run into other players anywhere along the way.

World dungeons, which are grander in scale than micro dungeons, are specifically designed for more epic encounters. World dungeons include places such as Medivh's Tower, the Westfall Deadmines, and the Scarlet Monastery. All these locations have common areas where players can meet up and fight together. But, deeper in the dungeons are areas set up specifically for more private group (or sometimes guild) adventures. These private dungeon areas, called "instance zones," allow you and a group of friends to have a more personal experience, exploring, adventuring, or completing quests in your own private dungeon. You also have the ability to invite others into your instance zone to join you. This relieves many of the camping, kill-stealing, and farming issues that MMORPGs sometimes face. The monsters in instance zones are typically more powerful, so groups of players will have to work together to defeat them, but with greater dangers come greater rewards!

If a group of people enter an instanced dungeon, how does a new player join that group or enter their dungeon?
The group leader can add a new player to the group without actually being near that player. Once the new player is added, he or she can enter the same instance that the rest of the group is in.

Will there be advanced areas or dungeons for high-level players?
Yes. The game will feature a wide range of content suitable for all levels and types of players, allowing both casual and hardcore gamers to enjoy their gameplay experience.

Will there be monsters that randomly roam in packs from time to time?
Yes, and we call this dynamic game play. The plan is to have numerous dynamic encounters in the game that will be randomly timed and placed.

Will there be dragons in the game?
Yes.

Will there be "named" or "unique" monsters in the World of Warcraft?
Yes there are many unique monsters in World of Warcraft. Some will appear randomly, while others will only spawn when certain conditions have been met.

In other games problems have resulted from players being able to attack monsters without retaliation. What are the solutions to these problems in World of Warcraft?
The creatures in World of Warcraft have special AI to prevent them from being exploited. Creatures recognize when they're being exploited, and when this happens, they go into "evade" mode and return to their spawn points.

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Who are the Horde and Alliance?
Alliance: Humans, Dwarves, Night Elves, Gnomes
Horde: Orcs, Tauren, Trolls, Undead.

Will players have the ability to change factions (for example: from Horde to Alliance)?
No, but it will be possible to learn languages and communicate with players of the opposing faction.

Can the same account have both a Horde & Alliance character on the same Realm?
This is still being looked at and is one of the many things that will be tested during the beta.

Will players be able to trade with members of the opposite faction?
Currently no, but this is still being decided and will be watched closely in beta.

Will Horde and Alliance characters have the ability to gain faction points thus allowing them to utilize each other's cities?
That's currently not the plan.

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What races can you play in World of Warcraft?
The game currently features:
Alliance: Humans, Dwarves, Night Elves, Gnomes
Horde: Orcs, Tauren, Trolls, Undead.

Is there a chance we might see Ogres, Blood Elves, Naga, Pandaren, Goblins, or High Elves?
World of Warcraft is an enormous universe filled with many different races. All of those named above can be seen in the game as NPCs, but at this time, we can't announce any plans for future player races. The ones that we've announced so far--Humans, Orcs, Dwarves, Tauren, Night Elves, Undead, Gnomes, and Trolls--are the races that will be available for players to choose from when the game launches.

Why are the Undead allied with the Horde?
Led by the banshee-queen Sylvanas, the Forsaken are an Undead faction that split violently with the Scourge during the Third War. Knowing that no Human agency would ever give them shelter or aid against the Scourge, now their hated enemy, they turned to the savage Horde, based across the sea in the distant land of Kalimdor, for assistance. To convince the Horde to allow the Forsaken into their alliance, the Undead ambassadors claimed that they merely sought a cure for their degenerative condition, which they believed that only the powers of shamanism and the life-giving energies of the earth could provide. In exchange for the shamans' healing aid, the Forsaken vowed to support the Horde in all of its ventures throughout Lordaeron and Azeroth.

Having done battle with the Undead on many occasions, Orc warchief Thrall and Tauren chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof of the Horde were immediately suspicious of the Forsaken's motives. However, due to growing political tensions, the warriors acquiesced to a council of sages known as The Earthen Ring. The council argued that it was the Horde's duty to aid the Forsaken, who wrestled with inner demons just as the Orcs had for generations.

Though Thrall and Cairne secretly suspect the worst, it remains to be seen what Sylvanas and her fanatical Forsaken have planned....

What can you tell us about the Gnomes?
The eccentric, often-brilliant Gnomes, known throughout the world for their obsession with developing radical new technologies and constructing mind-bending marvels of engineering, served the alliance well during the Second War. However, during the recent invasion of the Burning Legion, the Gnomes refused to send any personnel to aid their allies. Though Gnomish designs helped turn the tide against the Legion, the Dwarves and Humans were shocked by the Gnomes' decision to withhold their courageous troops and pilots.

When the war ended, the Alliance discovered the reason behind the Gnomes' sudden withdrawal: an ancient, barbaric menace had emerged from the bowels of the earth and invaded the Gnomes' wondrous techno-city of Gnomeregan. Knowing that their allies' priority was defeating the Burning Legion, the Gnomes decided to make their stand alone. They fought valiantly, but Gnomeregan was lost, and nearly half of the Gnomish race was wiped out.

Those Gnomes who survived fled to the safety of the Dwarven stronghold Ironforge, where they recommitted themselves to the Alliance's cause and also to devising strategies and weapons that would help them retake their ravaged city and build a brighter future for their people.

Who are the Tauren?
The Tauren are a mighty race of nomadic tribesmen who live on the dusty plains of a faraway land. These noble, bull-like hunters have lived in harmony for countless generations and are threatened only by the periodic raids of marauding centaur herds.

What are the racial traits?
Currently, we only have the answer for three of the races:

• Dwarves: Find Treasure & Frost Resistance
• Humans: Additional Skill Points
• Undead: Underwater Breathing, Immune to Charm, Fear & Sleep and Shadow Resistance

Are there male and female versions of all of the races?
Yes. Even Tauren!

Does each race have unique properties?
Yes. Each race in the game will have access to racial skills, abilities and equipment.

Will there be different starting locations?
Yes. Each race will have a unique start location.

Do different races see differently? (i.e. Can Night Elves see better in the dark?)
No, all races will see the world in the exact same way (although Gnomes may see more knees than the rest of us). When the idea of racial eye sight came up on the table, the development team wanted to ensure that all races would be enjoyable to play. They also didn't want to give any specific race an advantage in this area.

What are the modes of transportation that are available to each race?
Not limited to the following: (land/air)

• Human: Horse/Gryphon
• Troll: Undetermined/Wyvern
• Night Elf: Nightsaber/Hippogryph
• Orc: Wolf/Wyvern
• Dwarves: Ram/Gryphon
• Undead: Undead Steed/Giant Bat
• Gnome: Undetermined/Gryphon
• Tauren: None: Plains Running/Wyvern

What classes will be available in World of Warcraft?
The World of Warcraft will include Warriors, Mages, Druids, Hunters, Warlocks, Priests, Paladins, Rogues, and Shamans. Visit the Classes page.

Have all the classes been announced?
Yes, we have announced all the classes that will be available in World of Warcraft at launch. However, we are also discussing ways for characters to evolve their classes through specialization, which will help differentiate them from others of the same class.

What classes can dual wield?
Rogues can naturally dual wield, and under certain situations, other melee classes will be able to as well. (Sorry, can't disclose what these "certain situations" are at this time.)

Will there be non-combat or "pacifist" classes that can gain levels from healing wounds, curing disease, "buffing", or by providing diplomatic assistance or any other type of assistances to other players?
No.

Will there be sub-classes in the game?
Currently, there are no sub-classes available in the game. This is still being discussed, and there is the possibility that they will be added for higher level characters.

What classes have the power to bring someone back from the dead?
Priests, Shaman, Paladins and Warlocks all have the power to bring someone back from the dead. Their strength in doing so varies.

Which classes can heal?
The classes that have the natural ability to heal are as follows:

• Priest
• Druid
• Shaman
• Paladin
• Warlock (themselves and their pets)
• Hunter (their pets)

Because Paladins need to use a skill to wield swords, will they be able to get their sword skill as high as their hammer skill?
Yes.

When a Warrior fights, will he just stand there swinging a sword or will he have combat moves?
There are currently six to eight combat moves per stance with multiple stances available for Warriors.

Can Warriors solo?
Yes, all classes will have the ability to solo, including warriors.

Can Rogues use two-handed weapons?
No, but they can dual-wield.

Are Hunters the only class that can use rifles?
No. Warriors and Rogues can train in rifles and many other classes have other types of ranged weapons at their disposal.

Will the Druid be able to avoid obstacles like mountains when morphed into "flying" models?
This was a considered option, but the design team decided it would be too powerful of an ability.

As a shape shifter, what forms can a Druid take?
There will be many forms available to druids, at this time we can tell you three of them: Bears, Cats & Aquatic (similar to a sea lion).

Will Druids be able to fight in their morphed forms?
Yes, including the underwater form.

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Will there be multiple characters per account?
Yes. Players will be able to create multiple characters per account.

How many characters are allowed per account?
Currently, the number is 8, but that number is subject to change.

Can you tell us more about what options are customizable on your character when you create it?
We don't want to overwhelm players with too many choices when they start off. That's why we are concentrating on features that players will notice right away. This will include things like hair style, hair color, skin color, and facial features. Players will of course also get to select their race, gender, and class. The remaining elements of character customization will be done in-game, when players have a better understanding of how the choices they're making will affect their characters.

Can players customize the height & weight of their characters?
Height/Weight will likely be unchangeable due to how it affects character animations and items on the character. The combination of wanting distinct animations and not wanting the animations to look wonky because they were being used on a model they were not quite meant for, made us decide to not allow changing of height/weight at this time.

How long can your name be and will last names be available?
Currently, all names are restricted to 12 characters. We are planning on implementing last names, however, the criteria for obtaining one has not been determined.

Will characters require food and water to survive?
A character will never be required to eat or drink. Nor will there be negative consequences for not consuming food and water. While the specifics have not been determined, there will be benefits associated with eating and drinking.

Will characters be able to swim?
Characters will be able to swim, and World of Warcraft will have underwater environments to explore.

Is there a limit on how much money a character can carry?
No.

Will characters age?
Characters will not get older as they progress in the game.

Will a character's gender have any effect on its stats?
No. Males and females will be equally effective in all areas of the game.

Will you have a skill-based or level-based system?
Our goal is to incorporate the best elements of both skill-based and level-based systems. This means that players will be able to gain levels and gain abilities based on their class as they level up through the game. Players will also be able to acquire additional skills through other gameplay methods such as seeking mentors or by completing quests. These extra skills may not always be related to the player's class.

Will players be able to customize their pet's statistics, abilities or appearances?
Pets can be trained and customized. This is still being developed, so the amount of customization is uncertain.

Can our characters sit in chairs?
Yes.

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Is Blizzard aware of some of the game play problems that have been prevalent in other MMORPGs?
Yes. Blizzard employees are gamers first and foremost, and we have played more than our fair share of existing Massively Multiplayer games. We tend to agree with MMORPG gamers on the strengths and weaknesses of the genre to date. We will strive to advance the genre by both building on its positives and improving its negatives.

How will you prevent camping and kill stealing?
We limit camping and kill-stealing issues by "instancing" certain areas of the game. An instance is a section of dungeon or outdoor area that is private. No other players, unless they are part of your group, can enter your instance of the dungeon/outdoor area. There are also plenty of non-instanced common areas where players can meet and adventure together.

How do you prevent camping and kill stealing in non-instanced areas?
Competition over rare item drops and quest items is the primary cause of camping and kill stealing. In World of Warcraft, many rare item drops are not exclusive to any one creature. Several creatures will have a chance of dropping the same item. If the required item is a quest item, the player can join a group of other players on the same quest and seek the item together with them. Every player on the quest will receive a copy of the quest item from the monster or location where it was found.

Will there be other things to do besides leveling?
There will be a huge variety of things to do to keep players from feeling like they just have to grind through one creature battle after another. Characters can craft items, fight in vast battles against other players, establish homes, and explore distant lands. Even when players do fight monsters, it will often be as part of a quest, or in search of special ingredients for their crafts.

Is there a way to finish World of Warcraft? How long can I play?
There will be thousands of hours of game play in the shipping game, and nearly infinite goals for players. Because we'll have a live team regularly adding new quests, creatures, and items, the game will never truly end.

Will there be a party system for group adventuring?
Yes.

How large is the party size for players?
Currently, the party size is five players, and the game is generally balanced for groups of five. Smaller groups can still be quite successful, and regardless of the group's size, everyone in the group will be able to make important contributions. Also, players will be able to "link" groups in order to form larger parties for raids or guild activities.

Are there ways to gain experience in the game besides fighting?
Yes, there will be ways to gain experience other than by fighting. Exploring is just one example of how you can gain experience; a character can receive experience by simply finding a new area (for your character) within the game.

How does group experience work?
Group exp is still being evaluated. The current system is in its simplest form with everyone sharing the divided experience for a kill.

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How does combat work? What makes it different from combat in other MMORPGs?
In general, combat in World of Warcraft is faster paced than it is in other MMORPGs, without being a "clickfest." When a character attacks a creature, he or she enters into combat mode. In combat mode, the character automatically and repeatedly attacks the target creature, but the player is responsible for timing the use of spells and special abilities to be maximally effective. Warriors and other melee classes will have a host of combat abilities that they can employ while fighting, whereas magic users will be able to cast a plethora of spells.

Will the game feature hack and slash combat like Diablo?
While combat is fast paced, there will also be tactical decision making and strategy elements required to win each fight.

Will the game be a "potionfest" RPG?
No. Health and mana regenerate naturally over time, and players will not be required to drink potions to restore either. That being said, having potions is a useful way to further minimize downtime (at some cost). However, most consumable items have cooldowns to prevent them from being consumed in rapid succession.

What type of PvP will you offer?
We know that the player vs. player (PvP) option is very important to many gamers. Therefore, we plan to incorporate a form of player conflict into the World of Warcraft. However, players who do not wish to be participate in PvP combat will not be required to do so. The PvP system will be incorporated in a consensual way that will be fun for those who wish to take part in this form of combat. Announcements regarding PvP options in the World of Warcraft will be announced in the months ahead.

How is death handled in the game?
A character will remain where he or she died for a reasonable amount of time (to allow for possible resurrection) or until the player chooses to "release" the character. After the player releases the character or the designated amount of time has passed, the character will reappear at a bind point with all of his or her equipment safely intact. Although there might be some penalty attached, our goal is to make sure that a character's death is not overly frustrating for the player.

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How does the skill system work?
Characters will have access to a huge variety of both class-specific skills (class skills) and general-use skills (secondary skills). Class skills are determined by your character class and are an integral part of your character. For example, a warrior's sword skill, axe skill, and mace skill are all considered class skills. There will also be a wide variety of secondary skills available, so players will be able to uniquely flavor their characters. Examples of secondary skills might include first aid, lock picking, riding, fishing, and herbalism, to name a few.

Can you tell us more about the secondary skills?
Secondary skills are learned from various trainers around the world. Some skills will be rare and hard to find trainers for, while others will be much more common, with trainers located in multiple cities.

Each level, players are granted skill points that they can use to purchase secondary skills from the wide assortment that will be available in the game. Some examples of secondary skills in World of Warcraft are: Engineering, with which a player can make different mechanical devices such as clockwork critters for scouting, and Herbalism, which allows a player to spot and gather various rare herbs.

Because players have a limited amount of points to spend, they will generally specialize in only a few secondary skills. This encourages them to seek out other players who have skills that they don't have.

How do you improve your skills?
Players will improve their characters' skills through a combination of usage and leveling. A character's level determines the maximum potential for any given skill, while actually using a particular skill determines the current proficiency in that skill.

Will there be a way to retrain talent or skill points?
Currently, you can unlearn a skill, but not a talent.

Will skills atrophy if they aren't used?
No. Once you learn a skill it's yours for life unless you decide to unlearn it.

Will Hunters who train in bows and rifles always be better than say a Warrior who has trained to the same level of said weapons?
They will very likely be very similar in skills; however, the Hunters will have additional abilities with those weapons that are unique to the class. This will ultimately make them more powerful with ranged weapons.

Will players be able to create their own items using trade skills?
World of Warcraft will feature a wide variety of trade skills giving players the ability to interact with the world and the opportunity to create numerous unique items. Announcements regarding specific trade skills will be released during the course of development.

Will there be a variety of fish to catch while fishing? Will there be special items, treasure chests, or S.O.S. bottles that are able to be fished up?
Yes. We're even planning on having seasonal fish -- and they can tie into quests and other trade skills. Players can also fish up things like lockboxes, unique armor, and weapons.

How many trade skills can a player master on an individual character?
A player will have to pick and choose which skills they master, as they will not have the skill points to take everything. Skills can be "untrained," though, so there's no need to worry about picking the wrong one and being stuck with it.

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How do spells work?
All of the character classes in World of Warcraft have access to spells and/or special abilities. As a character levels, they can purchase, train, research, or simply find new spells and add them to their spell book and/or ability book. Casting spells and using special abilities generally requires mana and may sometimes require one or more reagents.

Will there be "crowd control" spells like sleep, confuse, mesmerize, etc.?
Yes. In addition to crowd-control spells such as these, there will be a wide assortment of other spells and abilities that will vary the tactics players use to defeat monsters. Some examples are Call Lightning, Fear, and Dominate. Remember, though, that the monsters will have access to these too... =)

Can you tell us more details about group spells and/or rituals?
One example is the Warlock's ritual of summoning. With three people in a group, the Warlock will cast a portal that two others must touch in order to summon a distant party member to that location.

Will there be emotes such as waving, bowing, etc?
We expect to have a full spectrum of role-playing emotes within the game.

Can a summoner destroy their own summoned pets before the time limit is up?
Yes, controlled pets can be dismissed.

What are the differences between Mage Invisibility, Night Elf Shadowmeld and Rogue Stealth?
Night Elf Shadowmeld is still being worked on, so we won't be able to comment on that at this time. The difference between Invisibility and Stealth is mainly that they work off of different systems.

One is considered a skill (Stealth), while the other is a spell (Invisibility). Because of this difference, there are separate ways to deal with each. There are skills that allow players to detect stealthed characters while there are spells to detect invisible ones.

When a character is invisible/stealthed/shadowmelded can other players in the same group see them?
Yes, not only will players in the group be able to see them (they will be faded out), but anyone in the same alliance will as well. They will only go unseen to NPCs and players in the opposing alliance.

If invisible enemies are seen by one person in a group, are they detected by all?
No, however there will be ways for those that see the enemy to "expose" them to others.

Can you cast a spell while running or falling?
There are some spells which can be cast while "on the move."

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Will quests vary in difficulty?
Yes, at each level there will be quests that vary in their degree of difficulty. Of course easier quests will give lower experience and/or lesser items whereas the harder quests will give high experience and/or more desired items.

There will also be "elite" quests in the game. Elite quests will yield much more experience than normal quests and the rewards will be exceptional as well. It will generally take a group (or in some cases, groups) of people to complete an elite quest.

Will there be group quests available?
Yes, most definitely.

Will each member of a group receive a quest reward if they participated in completing a quest?
If each member of the group accepted the quest from the quest-giver, each member would also receive the quest reward.

What happens when a player fails to complete a quest? Will there be an option to try that quest again?
Yes, players can always go back to the quest giver and try again.

Will there be quests that take you to enemy towns and/or cities? (For example, can a Rogue get to sneak in, steal stuff, and sneak out for a quest?)
Yes, there are quests in the game that take you into enemy towns.

Will there be Epic Quests?
Yes! We're calling them Life Quests.

Will there be very large or continued quests that take a lot of steps to fully complete?
Heck yeah! There will be "small" multipart quests, which you might be able to finish in several days, and epic "life quests" that will span your entire adventuring career.

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Will you be able to randomly find items, and if so, will these items be classified as in Diablo II (Rare, Unique, etc.)?
Monsters will have treasure that characters can loot, but these will be drawn randomly from a specific item class for that monster type. We do not expect to have the same vast amount of random items as in the Diablo series, but we will have items that are rare and even some that could be truly unique by limiting them to only one per server.

Can you give any comparisons, or lack of, between the drop system in World of Warcraft and Diablo II?
Like Diablo II, World of Warcraft supports a form of random item generation. Unique items can be created by the system, such as "Sword of Lifestealing" or "Breastplate of Stamina." The game will take the base item, such as a sword, and randomly combine it with a modifier, such as lifestealing.

Will there be ranged weapons? Can Dwarves use Guns?
Yes. Different classes can use a variety of ranged weapons, such as bows, crossbows, and yes, even Dwarven muskets.

Besides bows and rifles, what other types of ranged weapons can we expect?
Throwing axes, throwing daggers, wands and crossbows to name a few.

Can some items only be used or worn by specific classes?
Yes.

Will all characters be able to use all weapons?
No.

Will there be ways to make weapons glow or have cool effects in World of Warcraft like in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos?
Yes. There will be many ways to modify your weapons which will change the way your weapon appears. As an example, you might add a fire enchantment that would make your sword glow red and do fire damage.

Will there be alcohol in World of Warcraft?
Yes. The effects of alcohol have not yet been decided.

Will there be items available to allow characters (other then Undead) to breathe underwater for durations to exceed 90 seconds?
Yes, including but not limited to: Items found and/or quested for, crafted items, potions and class based spells.

While there aren't any differences in racial visions, will there be ways to modify vision with items?
Yes. As an example, engineers can make spy glasses that will allow your character to see farther.

Quest Loot vs Crafted Items - which is better?
The development team is working very hard to balance this. There will be better items in each. For example, at level 5 you might quest for the "best" boots in the game and the "best" gloves will be crafted. Whereas at level 7 the "best" boots would be crafted and the "best" gloves will be quested for (best meaning better stats for that level/race/class).

Will items crafted in World of Warcraft be more useful to other players than crafted items typically are in other RPGs?
Throughout a player's career as a crafter, there will be certain items that he or she can create which will be the best items at that level. For example, at level 40 the best bracers might come from a player with the blacksmith trade skill, while at level 45, the best bracers might be from a quest. There are also a number of consumable items that can be created by players with trade skills, such as armor patches and sharpening stones: these consumable items can be sold to other players, who can use them to improve their existing armor and items.

Will players be able to use trade skills to recreate the same item over and over as long as they get the right materials?
Yes.

How will the trading interface work?
You must be side-by-side to trade. The interface is designed to be as secure as possible. A similar interface is used to provide a secure system for enchanting and unlocking boxes and so on. This prevents you from having to actually hand over your items to the enchanter, whom you might not fully trust. In World of Warcraft, the enchanter doesn't have to have physical possession of your item to enchant it.

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Can you attack NPCs/Shopkeepers?
At this time you can not attack Shopkeepers or town NPCs, however this will be looked at and perhaps changed in the future.

Will an NPC remember if you talked to it before?
For quest purposes, yes, the NPC will remember that you've talked and will know where you stand as it relates to the task you were given.

Will NPC merchants close up shop at night?
No, however there will be wandering merchants that might not always be where you last saw them.

Will shopkeepers have a limited supply of items?
Yes and no. Common items will always be in supply, however some shopkeepers will sell uncommon items which might or might not be in stock when you are visiting the store.

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Can you give more details on the different modes of transportation in World of Warcraft?
In World of Warcraft, you will have the opportunity to use several different modes of transportation. Early on, you'll get to explore the beautiful environments on foot, but once you discover certain NPCs, you'll be able to hire flying mounts such as Gryphons and Windriders from them for a fee. These mounts cover regular routes; utilizing them will make it easier for you to quickly travel between locations you have already explored. Along with these taxi-style transports, there are also boats and zeppelins that can be chartered for intercontinental travel.
Personal mounts, specific to each race, will also be available to characters at higher levels. For instance, Orcs will ride dire wolves, Humans will ride warhorses, and Dwarves will ride battle rams. Though it will be somewhat challenging to do so, characters can also learn how to ride the mounts of races other than their own. In addition, "epic" and magical forms of travel can be discovered in the game, such as ancient portals and player-based rituals, that can be used for instant travel to exotic locations.

How do mounts work in World of Warcraft?
World of Warcraft offers a variety of mounts for the different races of Azeroth (the world on which the game takes place). For example, Humans generally ride horses, and Orcs tend to favor their trusted wolf mounts. Mounts are a great way to travel the world for mid-to-high-level characters. With extensive training, riding specialists will be able to use mounts not generally available to their particular race, but this ability will be rare.

How will players use mounts?
Mounts become available to each race at a high level, and they can be "called" when needed by the owner. We also have other specialty mounts. A high-level Warlock, for example, can summon a night mare.

Can players own or operate ships?
At this time, all ships are owned and operated by NPCs within the game.

Will players be able to drive or ride vehicles/mounts?
We plan to include several personal modes of transportation, including horses, wolves, and more. We also plan to include many vehicles including ships, zeppelins, and Gryphons that will provide quick and easy travel throughout the world.

I was wondering if extremely high-level characters in World of Warcraft would be able to control more powerful mounts - like a dragon or a wyvern?
Since announcing the availability of mounts in the game, players have been sharing their excitement with us about all the possibilities that exist in the Warcraft universe. We do allow players to ride Gryphons, but only between set points in the world that they are trained to seek out. We have no plans to allow players to fly around the world of Azeroth without some such constraint, but we will also have much more than mere horses for players to ride. You didn't think we would have orc riders without giant wolves did you?

Do Tauren have mounts?
No, they instead have a special racial ability called Plains Running, which allows them to run very quickly for a certain amount of time.

Can a Human ride a ram instead of a horse if they want?
Yes, the human would need to spend an undetermined amount of skill points to gain the ability to ride a ram.

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Will players have the opportunity to provide feedback about the development of the game?
Yes. Players will always be able to share their input via the forums and beta testing. We also plan to devise additional methods for players to communicate with the developers.

Do you plan to create additional content after the game is released?
Yes. We are completely dedicated to evolving the world with additional content after the game ships. Our plan is to keep an active in-house development team dedicated to providing new content on a regular basis. Our plans include opening new lands, introducing new monsters and items along with incorporating new quests and ultimately evolving the overall story of the World of Warcraft.

Will World of Warcraft have new features added each month?
The world of Warcraft is envisioned to be a constantly evolving place, so the introduction of new monsters, items, places to visit and even different types of game play experiences are all in the long-term plans for the game. It would be impossible for us to determine the timing on rolling out these ideas now, but we do intend to keep the game in a state of active change.

Will patches be released around the world months apart as has been the case in some other games?
Blizzard is striving to have patches released simultaneously all around the world. From time to time there may be some delays, but it's anticipated that these delays would be minimal.

What is a Game Master (GM) and how will they enhance my gameplay experience?
In World of Warcraft, Game Masters or GMs are members of our customer support department who will be responsible for assisting players with questions regarding gameplay and/or technical issues. We understand the importance of customer support and community building, therefore this will be one of our primary focuses during the beta test program and after the product goes live.

Will there be a guide/volunteer program in World of Warcraft?
No.

Will there be special events held in the game for holidays?
Yes! There will be special events held for both "real" holidays and special days created in World of Warcraft.

What will you do to prevent cheating?
The development team is currently doing everything it can to eliminate the possibility of cheating. Also, because the game requires gamers to have a personal account to play, we will be able to identify and track cheaters much more closely. World of Warcraft has many features specifically designed to detect, identify and prevent cheating and hacking in the game. Additional resources - particularly the implementation of a live team of Gamemasters to monitor play - will provide security far beyond what we can currently offer for Battle.net®. As always, we will constantly look for ways to make the experience of our customers better and more secure, and as we continue to find new methods of doing so, we will certainly pursue and implement them.

Since the game will have a language filter, can we curse/swear as much as we want?
Even though there is a language filter, excessive, unsolicited or inappropriate language will not be tolerated.

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Will you guys be beta testing World of Warcraft, and how do I sign up?
Our beta tests have included public participation for several years now, and World of Warcraft will be no exception. In fact, it will probably be our largest and most extensive beta test ever. Sign ups have already concluded.

When will the beta start?
The beta is expected to begin in early 2004, and it will be done in stages. That is all the information we have at this time; please watch the World of Warcraft site for any news regarding the beta.

Can you tell us more about the beta? Will there be different phases? Will there be an open beta? Will it require a NDA?
World of Warcraft is currently in the alpha-testing stage. The beta test, which is scheduled to start sometime in early 2004, will initially be open to players in the U.S., Canada, and Korea. Participation will not require an NDA. Similarly to how we've conducted beta tests in the past, we will gradually open up the beta to more and more testers in order to gauge server stability and connectivity. While we don't know what the total number of beta testers will be yet, this will by far be our largest beta test ever.

I'm in Europe. Will I be able to participate in the World of Warcraft Beta?
We have not yet finalized our beta plans, but we do know that at some point in the process, we will need to test servers worldwide. This will certainly involve Europe, but to what extent and when has not been determined.

Why is Blizzard only accepting beta test applications from U.S. & Canadian residents?
Due to multiple time zones and language differences, we have decided to limit the beta test application participants to the United States and Canada.

I'm in Puerto Rico, is that considered a part of the U.S. for the beta?
Yes, people in Puerto Rico are eligible to signup and participate in the U.S. beta.

I'm in the U.S. Military and may be traveling/stationed abroad during the beta test. Can I still participate?
Yes, anyone with a valid U.S. address is eligible -. APO/FPO addresses will be accepted.

Will there be a Mac version of the beta available?
Yes.

What are the system requirements for the World of Warcraft® beta?
NOTE: World of Warcraft has NOT yet been optimized for many hardware configurations. The system requirements are expected to be lower for the final shipping version of the game, specifically in regards to processor speed and video card memory requirements. The system specifications listed below are for the World of Warcraft® beta only. The World of Warcraft® Beta test has the following requirements:

A 56K or higher modem with an internet connection.

Windows® System/OS:
• 800 Mhz or higher CPU.
• 256 Megabytes or more of RAM.
• Geforce 2 Graphics Card or better.
• 3 Gigabytes or more of available hard drive space.
• DirectX® 9.0 or above.

Mac® System/OS:
• 1.0 GHz or higher, G4 or G5 processor.
• 512 Megabytes RAM or higher. DDR RAM recommended.
• ATI or NVIDIA video hardware with 64 MB VRAM or more.
• 3 Gigabytes or more of available hard drive space.
• MacOS X 10.3 ("Panther") or better

How are beta testers chosen?
Beta testers are chosen according to their system specs, location, and other factors. Qualified beta testers will mostly be selected randomly. Our goal is to have a good variety of system types and locations to best test compatibility.

I was selected as a beta tester, but I never received my copy! What can I do?
Unfortunately, we cannot resend beta discs or track lost beta discs. There will be no exceptions. Generally, if a selected tester doesn't receive their copy, it's because we don't have the proper address listed for that person. It is very important that you double-check your address before submitting your application.

How long will the beta test last?
Historically, beta tests last approximately 2-3 months. Due to the depth and magnitude of the World of Warcraft beta, we expect the beta test to last at least this long. We will notify participants when the beta test is nearing completion.

Will the beta have a CD-Key?
Yes.

What if I did not receive a CD-Key or if I have misplaced it?
We are unable to provide additional CD-Keys for this Beta for any reason (whether lost, stolen, or never received one in the first place). For this reason, please be very careful with your CD-Key, do not hand this out to anyone for any reason. Please note that Blizzard Entertainment employees will never ask you for this information.

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