170 – The Instance: That Panda Punched Me In The Face!

Patch 3.3 Is On The Way, Are You Ready?
And what does it really mean to be ready for 3.3, anyhow? Ready or not, it’s coming, and probably coming out this next Tuesday, December 8. That is, unless Blizzard needs one more week to get the change to the game ready. We’re betting on December 8.

So we’ve talked a lot about patch 3.3 for the last couple of months, but we’ve not yet speculated on what players can do to make the most of it when it hits. The usual routine for many players just after patch day is buy-what-I-need-now and worry-about-the-cost-later. Players ofter spend thousands of gold needlessly just after a patch, or lose fortunes speculating the wrong way in the game market. We’ve got some general tips for you that might help.

Darkmoon Faire Las Vegas
That venerable card-game-centric tournament and meet-up that we know and love so much is coming to Sin City this week, and if you can make it, you don’t want to miss this one. It’s a rare chance for players to test their battle hardened army against the best in the game. Each player will bring their army of three and compete against other players’ armies for prizes and fame. The tournament will be run in flights with the top players moving on to the second day playoff on Sunday. The top 8 finishers will ride out of the event with the elusive Spectral Tiger Loot card, and the winner will walk away with an Apple Macbook Pro!
 * The event takes place this weekend, Dec. 4-6 at the Rio.
 * In addition to great prizes and loot cards, Top 16 finishers in the championship will go home with a brand new Ruins of Alterac map.
 * All participants in the Minis Championship events during the weekend get their very own “Mortimer the Malign” mini-statue.
 * Nice prizes in the Gadgetzan challenge.

Town Cryer
Kuam from the Wyrmrest Accord realm writes: Recently I have been playing a Balance druid and I’ve been wondering about haste, the druid has several talents that increase spell haste by X%. if I have no base haste do I gain any thing from this Talent? Logically, no, +1% of 0 is 0, right?

Krista J. writes: Why does everyone automatically assume I’m a guy playing girl toons? … It’s kind of annoying always being a called a dude.

The Pandaren Chen Stormstout Statue
The first pandaren collectible ever! Capturing the elusive (and world-celebrated) Chen Stormstout for the first time in 3D, the Pandaren Brewmaster Deluxe Action Figure is a limited edition, one-of-a-kind Blizzard online store exclusive! This premium-sculpted piece stands at a colossal 8″, features Chen’s signature bamboo Bo staff and Brewmaster’s keg and comes packaged in a 4-color, spot UV collectors window box. Art Directed by Blizzard Cinematic Creative Director Nick Carpenter. Exquisitely sculpted by Ray Villafane and painstakingly painted by Eddie Wires.