The Definitive Frequently Asked Questions List. READ BEFORE POSTING. Last Updated - 14th December 2009. - Latest update includes information on Patch 3.3

In an effort to improve the signal/noise ratio on the forums, I have put together this FAQ, covering all of the frequently posted about issues and questions that seem to crop up on the EU forums. The Blizzard FAQ hasn’t been updated since 2007. This new FAQ incorporates the old information, where relevant, plus a lot of new and updated information. Please read this first before you make your thread, just to make sure you’re not posting a repeat. I have broken the questions and answers down into categories for easy reading. If you think I’ve missed anything, feel free to post it and I will update the FAQ.

How to find what you're looking for quickly

Simply check the table of contents, then type Ctrl+F to bring up the search box. Type in the phrase you're looking for and you will be able to zoom quickly to that section.

Table of contents is as follows.

1) Posting in the Correct Forum
2) Recruit-A-Friend
3) Bind on Account items
4) New Servers
5) Character Transfers
6) Warcraft Movie
7) Blizzard’s new MMO
8) Blizzcon/WWI
9) Player Housing
10) Pre-TBC Servers
11) Account Security and Suspicious Emails
12) Loot Cards
13) Contests and Services
14) Downtime and Maintenance
15) Additional instances cannot be launched
16) Questions about the rules and terms of service
17) Patch 3.3 questions
18) Mobile Authenticators

Posting in the Correct Forum

One of the biggest problems on the WoW forums is that often, posters do not put their threads in the right forum. Before you post, please check the list below to see which forum you should be posting your thread in. Switch forum with the forum nav menu at the top left of the screen.

Something about your class – Your specific Class Discussion forum
Something about tanking/healing/dps – Class Roles Discussion forum
Something that happened on your realm – Your realm forum
Something about raiding – Raid and Dungeons forum
Something that you want implemented into the game – Suggestions forum
Something about another game – Off-topic forum
Looking for players for RAF/My Guild – The Looking for Alliance/Horde Players forum
Something relevant to your battlegroup – Your battlegroup forum
Need help with a Quest – The Quests forum
Something about a specific achievement – The achievements forum
Something about my UI/Mods or Macros – The Interface Customisation forum
You are new to the game and have questions – The Newcomers forum
Something about trade-skills/crafting – The Professions Forum
Something about PvP – The Player vs Player forum.
Something not related to World of Warcraft – The Off-topic forum
Problems that require the attention of Customer Support – The In-game Customer Support forum
You are having technical problems with WoW – The Technical Support Forum
You are having issues with the website/forums – The Website and Forums Forum
Something about roleplaying – The Roleplaying forum
You are organising an event – The Community Events forum.

Now if after all that, your thread does not fit into any of the above categories, consider posting it in the General Discussion forum.

Recruit-a-Friend

Before posting anything, please read the official FAQ on the Recruit a Friend program. The majority of your questions can be answered here – http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?articleId=20588

Those that aren’t can be answered in the Ultimate Guide, which can be found here – http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=8765628748&sid=1

Bind on Account Items

Q : Can I transfer my BoA (heirloom) item to my alt on the opposite faction.
A : Yes, this is now possible. Simply mail the item to your character on the opposing faction. Bear in mind that only BoA items can be mailed and only to characters that you own.

Q : Can I transfer my BoA item to my alt on another server?
A : Yes. If you transfer a character who has a BoA item in his inventory or bank to another server, the BoA item comes with it. That is the only current way to transfer a BoA item to a character on another server.

Q : Can I transfer my BoA item to another player?
A : No.

Q : Why are they called Bind-on-Account items if they can’t be transferred freely to any character on my account?
A : Because BoA items are basically BoE items but without the ‘equip’ part. They are bound to a specific player and are still subject to the limitations of the game, such as the inability to send a mail to another server.

Q : Why can’t new players get BoA items?
A : BoA items were designed to make levelling alts easier and more enjoyable for people who have already reached max level. That is why they can only be purchased with tokens/badges that are available at Level 80.

Q : Why can’t I put this enchant on my BoA item?
A : BoA items count as iLevel (item level) 1, regardless of what level you are. As such, only enchants that are not level restricted, work on BoA items.

New Servers

Q : When will they be opening new servers?
A : Blizzard announces the opening of new servers when the current ones are close to capacity. Unless there's a sticky thread about it in the General forum or news about it on the website, then you can assume that there are no plans to open up new servers in the near future.

Q : Why won’t they open new servers, I want to play on a new server.
A : Blizzard does not open new servers based on player demand, but rather when the need for a new server due to the current level of population, arises. Blizzard are more likely to open up free character transfers to lower population realms, from higher population realms.

Character Transfers

Q : Can I transfer from an EU realm to a US realm or visa-versa?
A : There is currently no way to transfer a character from a US to an EU realm and visa-versa.

Q : Can I play on a US realm?
A : You can purchase a US account via various methods. To access US realms from an EU client, go into your World of Warcraft folder, open up the file called ‘realmlist’ and change all mentions of eu, to us. Be warned that patches are released later in the EU than they are in the US and you will not be able to play on US realms with an un-patched EU client. This works the opposite way if you have a US client and are playing on EU realms with an EU account, patching your US client will lock you out on the EU realms until they have also been patched.

Q : Can I get a free transfer from my realm?
A : Only if your realm is high enough population to warrant one. Free transfers are used to balance realm populations and ensure that servers don’t become full to bursting point or ghost-towns respectively. The current thread for FCT is here - http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=9520844905&sid=1

Q : I want to move from my server to another one!
A : You can check the current free transfers available on this page - http://www.wow-europe.com/en/support/charactermoverealms.html If your server is not on this list, you will have to use the Paid Character Transfer service. The full FAQ for Paid Character Transfers can be found here - http://www.wow-europe.com/en/info/faq/paidcharactertransfer.html

Q : Does Faction Transfer include a server transfer as well?
A : No.

Warcraft Movie

Q : Is there a World of Warcraft movie?
A : There is a ‘Warcraft’ movie in production by Legendary Pictures. The plot and form this will take is unclear at this time.

Q : When will the Warcraft movie come out?
A : There is no definite release date.

Q : Will the Warcraft movie be CG or live-action?
A : It is planned to be live action.

Q : Where can I find more information on the Warcraft movie?
A : Currently, we know that Sam Raimi will be directing the Warcraft movie. An official press release about it can be found here - http://www.blizzard.com/us/press/090721.html - Expect more information to me made available at future Blizzcon events, on the World of Warcraft front page and at http://www.legendarypictures.com/.

Blizzard’s New MMO

Q : Is Blizzard developing a new MMO?
A : Yes

Q : Is it World of Warcraft 2?
A : All signs point to no, since Blizzard claim it is a new and original IP (intellectual property). - (source) - http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=16903519279&postId=169024684459&sid=1#20

Q : Where can I find out more about Blizzard’s New MMO?
A : As of 10th June 2009, no further details have been announced.

Blizzcon/WWI

Q : Will there be a European Blizzcon?
A : Blizzcon, since 2005, has always been held in Anaheim, California in the USA. There are no signs that that will change anytime soon. Blizzard have also organised an event called WWI in the past which is held in Paris in 2008 and Seoul in South Korea in 2006 and 2007. This event puts more focus on E-sports and tournament play, (hence World Wide Invitational), however there are still announcements and WoW-related panels and exhibitions.

Q : Why was there no WWI this year?
A : WWI was combined with Blizzcon in 2009, taking up the entirity of the Anaheim Convention Centre. Whether there will be further WWI's is something that Blizzard have yet to confirm.

Pre-TBC servers

Q : Will there ever be Pre-TBC servers?
A : There are no plans for Pre-TBC servers.

Q : Why won’t you make Pre-TBC servers?
A : Kalgan: "Nope, no plans for a classic realm. We plan to keep wow moving forward, even though there are always some that would like to revel in nostalgia. =]" 

Q : I want Pre-TBC servers!
A : This is a repeat topic and is answered in the Frequent Suggestions post - http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=3405101623&sid=1

Q : I want to downgrade my account so that I don’t gain XP past 60/70!
A : There is currently no way to downgrade an account. You also cannot transfer characters from an upgraded account to a vanilla/TBC account.

Player Housing

Q : Will there ever be player-housing?
A : There are no plans for player-housing at this time. Suggestions about how player housing might work should be posted in the Suggestions forum. – (source) http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=16101690080&pageNo=3&sid=1#47

Account Security and Suspicious Emails

Q : I am concerned about the security of my account.
A : There are several guides to allow you to learn more about account security.

Blizzard Email or Scam Email? - http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=2111545640&sid=1

Protect your PC - http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=273198555&sid=1

Official Guide to Compromised Accounts - http://www.wow-europe.com/en/support/ca-article.html

Q : Why are authenticators always out of stock?
A : Authenticators are in extremely high demand and only so many can be made at a time. Check the Blizzard store regularly. US authenticators also work with EU accounts and visa-versa so if you have a friend in the US who would be willing to post you one, you could get one that way. If you have an iPhone or iPod touch you can download a version of the authenticator from the App Store. This application is free of charge.

Q : I have received an email that claims to be from Blizzard….
A : Does this email ask you for username and password or the answer to your secret question? Blizzard NEVER ask you for this information by email, they do not need your password and your secret question is only used to verify your identity when you’ve lost your password or when you call customer service directly. NEVER give out this information to anyone.

Q : How can I tell whether an email is actually from Blizzard?
A : Emails can appear to come from a Blizzard address, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they did. This technique is called spoofing and can be used to create false email address information. If there are links in the emails you have received, do NOT take them at face-value. Hover over the link in your browser and check where it goes. If it does not match up to the URL the link claims to be, then do NOT click it, under any circumstances. Remember, Blizzard will NEVER ask you for your password.

Q : Should I warn people about an email I have received?
A : There are already warnings and guides about this kind of thing available. Please do not post a thread about it, it is likely somebody already has.

Loot Cards

Q : Where can I get Loot cards?
A : Loot cards are randomly inserted into packs of the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. They have special scratch-off panels which provide a code to receive a specific in-game item.

Q : How do I redeem a loot card?
A : Take the scratch-off code and go to http://www.ude.com/loot. Enter the code, along with the server you wish to redeem it on, when prompted. This will give you another code. Write this code down or otherwise save it, because there is no way to get it back if you lose it. Copy it into your clipboard (ctrl-c) then log into game. Travel to Booty Bay. On the main promenade there is a goblin called Landro Longshot. Speak to him and select the item which you wish to redeem (you can only redeem the specific item your card gave you, you cannot exchange your code for other items). Enter the code and you should receive your item.

Q : How do I get those special tabards that Landro has?
A : One of these tabards, the Tabard of the Flame, comes from a loot card in the ‘Heroes of Azeroth’ set of cards. All of the others can be acquired by spending UDE points. In each pack, you get a card with a code on it which can be redeemed for 100 or 250 UDE points. This is done at http://www.ude.com/points. Once you have enough, you can spend them on various things which include the special tabards. You are given a code, just like you would be given with a loot card, which you can then redeem with Landro for your tabard.

Q : How do I get the ogre suit and fireworks trinket?
A : These are also purchased with UDE points (lots of UDE points).

Q : I have questions about the WoW TCG/ Miniatures/Board Game
A : Best to post these on the appropriate forums.

WoW TCG - http://entertainment.upperdeck.com/wow/community/forums/default.aspx
WoW Miniatures - http://entertainment.upperdeck.com/wow/community/forums/default.aspx?GroupID=80
WoW Board-games - http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_temas.asp?efid=45&efcid=1
http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_temas.asp?efid=25&efcid=1

Contests and Services

Q : Why is recruit a friend/character transfer/other optional service not available in my country?
A : Blizzard, as an international company, has to be very careful about the laws of individual nations, which differ from each other in many ways. Services like recruit a friend are viewed by several countries as pyramid schemes and are subject to restrictions. Blizzard will not make a service available to a particular country unless they are sure it is 100% legal to do so.

Q : Why is my country not eligible for this contest?
A : Same reason as above. Contests are subject to different laws in different countries and Blizzard will not make the contest available to that country if it could infringe on national law.

Q : I have proof that my country’s laws do not restrict this service/contest!
A : The law is an extremely complicated thing, that’s why lawyers get paid as much as they do. If you have evidence that your country’s laws have changed or do not restrict a service/contest then email it to legal@blizzard.com for investigation. The community managers cannot take action in such matters.

Q : Why does Blizzard hate my country?
A : As an international commercial entity, it is not in Blizzard’s interest to discriminate against any particular country. Blizzard like money, and they would like your money too. However, in legal matters, it is always best to err on the side of caution. Blizzard is not deliberately going out of their way to discriminate against your country, they are merely restricted by your country’s laws which either stop them from doing what they want to do, or are otherwise unclear on the matter.

Q : Can I pay to change my race?
A : You can faction transfer, which allows you to pick a new race once you have done so, as well as recustomise your looks. You cannot currently change your race without changing faction as well.

Downtime and Maintenance

Q: How often do you have realm maintenance, and when? 
A: Blizzard currently performs weekly maintenance, between 5:00 and 11:00 CET (UTC +1)* on Wednesdays. If a patch is applied during maintenance, or there are other very time consuming operations involved, the maintenance window will be from 3:00 am until 11:00 CET*. Due to extra maintenance some realms may be offline longer. Notification will be given on the login screen. 
To find the time in Paris without having to do time zone calculations, have a look at this page: 
http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=195 
*) CEST (UTC +2) when Daylight Saving is active (Summer). 

Q: Why is there weekly maintenance? 
A: The weekly maintenance includes database optimizations and server-side improvements, and is done to ensure a high quality game experience for the players. Blizzard aims to have shorter and less frequent maintenance periods in the future but currently prefer the weekly 6 hours to ensure the best possible performance.

Q : Can I get compensation for my realm going down?
A : Blizzard will always announce compensation on the forums or on the front page. This will take the form of a number of days credited to your subscription. You can check if you’re received such compensation by going into the Account Management page on http://www.wow-europe.com and looking at your payment history.

Additional instances cannot be launched

Q : Why am I getting this message when I try to enter an instance?
A : The number of instances that can run at any given time has been limited to ensure that the servers continue to function properly. Blizzard are actively working on a way to lift this restriction without negatively impacting the performance of the servers.

Questions about the rules and terms of service

Q : Can I operate/play on a private server for whatever reason?
A : No. Participating in or hosting private servers is forbidden under the WoW terms of service. Operating a private service constitutes a breach of copyright and Blizzard can and will take action against this.

Q : Can I play multiple characters at once (multi-boxing) using key-cloning applications?
A : Yes, this is currently allowed.

Q : Can I use programmable keyboards such as the Logitech G15 to play WoW?
A : Yes, these are allowed under the terms of service.

Q : Can I use any program that automates my character’s actions?
A : Anything that automates your character’s actions without your specific input is classified as botting, which is not allowed.

Q : Can I purchase gold or items with real world currency?
A : This is absolutely forbidden under the terms of services and can result in your account being banned.

Q : Can I share my account with others?
A : No, account sharing is against the rules and can result in your account being banned.

Q : Can I use add-ons and UI mods?
A : Yes.

Q : Can I sell my characters/account?
A : No. You do not technically own your account, you are merely paying for a service which allows you to access it. All characters and in-game objects are Blizzard’s intellectual property and as such you do not have the right to sell them, since you do not own them.

Q : Can I operate an in-game casino/gambling service?
A : No, this activity is prohibited under the game rules and could result in a warning or temporary account suspension. Further violations will result in a ban.

Q : Can I import different models into WoW?
A : Model-changing and altering the art assets of WoW is not allowed.

Q : Can I transfer gold/items to a character on the opposing faction?
A : This can be done through the neutral goblin auction houses and is allowed. However, this should be done with a trusted friend. Blizzard will not reimburse you if the item you are transferring is bought by someone else before you are able to do so yourself. Be aware that the goblin auction fees are higher than the normal, faction auction-houses.

Q : Where can I find the forum rules?
A : Here - http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=292921554&sid=1

Patch 3.3

Q : What is going on with the badge system in Patch 3.3?
A : All instances that previously dropped emblems of Heroism, Valor or Conquest, will now drop Emblems of Triumph (T9). The first random heroic dungeon of the day will reward you with 2 emblems of Frost (T10).

Q : What is this new Looking for Group system?
A : The new 'Dungeon Finder' tool allows you to queue up for random dungeons cross-realm either by yourself or with a party. You will choose a role and be placed into a queue, as the system matches you up with appropriate players to form a viable 5-man group. Upon completion, you will be teleported to a random heroic dungeon with the rest of your party. You will receive 2 additional emblems of Triumph for completing the instance. In addition, if you have at least 1 random member in your party, you will get a 5% buff to damage, health and healing done.

Q : Does the Dungeon Finder bypass instance lockouts?
A : Currently yes, it does.

Q : Can we remove someone from a random group who is not performing well?
A : There is a vote-kick option which requires the majority of the party to vote yes. Currently you must wait 15 minutes before being able to use it.

Q : Is there a gear limit built into the Dungeon Finder?
A : There is a gear limit in place for Heroic ToC, plus the 3 new Icecrown instances, which all drop higher iLevel loot and are significantly more difficult than the other heroic 5 mans. The gear limit itself is not very strict and only works within the dungeon finder. If you are locked out of an instance due to inferior gear, you are still free to create a group the old fashioned way, though you may struggle in the new instances.

Q : What is Need before Greed?
A : Need before Greed is the loot system used in random dungeons. If you cannot use the item, you cannot roll need on it. This restriction applies to primary armour types, so currently, if you are say, a paladin, you can't roll need on cloth bracers. A new disenchant option is also available if your group has an enchanter in it, simply click disenchant to automatically DE the item and assign it to the highest roller.

Mobile Authenticators

Q : What is the Mobile Authenticator?
A : Mobile Authenticators are apps designed to run on various Mobile Phones. They function in a similar fashion to the Blizzard Authenticator and secure your account with a dynamically generated security code. In order to access your account, you must use the authenticator to generate the code and immediately input it when requested. This extra step is a strong extra layer of security for your account and can prevent keylogging.

Q : Where do I get the Mobile Authenticator?
A : The Mobile Authenticator can be downloaded here - http://mobile.blizzard.com/fi-en/t401-c12902/applications-battle-net-mobile-authenticator

Q : Which phones are compatible with the Mobile Authenticator?
A : This list of compatible devices can be found here - http://mobile.blizzard.com/fi-en/support-compat.html/

Q : How much does the mobile authenticator cost?
A : The cost of the authenticator varies depending on your country and carrier. You will be told how much it will cost prior to purchase. Expect it to cost around 99p/cents.

Q : Where can I find out more about the mobile authenticator?
A : The Official Blizzard FAQ can be found here - http://eu.battle.net/bma

Q : Will using the mobile authenticator get me the Core Hound Pup pet?
A : Yes.

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Q u o t e:
Something about my UI/Mods – The Interface Customisation forum

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I belive you should put something about macros somewhere.

And reported for sticky ofc. Very good job :-)

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Q u o t e:


I belive you should put something about macros somewhere.

And reported for sticky ofc. Very good job :-)

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Edited that into the OP. I do wish that Lv1 forum-alt would delete his post though :/

Well, it was a long time in coming. Thanks, TB. I'll be sure to fire hyperlinks at all the WAI IZ BOA NT BOF OR SOMETHIN LOL threads popping about.

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Q u o t e:
Q : I want to downgrade my account so that I don’t gain XP past 60/70!
A : There is currently no way to downgrade an account. You also cannot transfer characters from an upgraded account to a vanilla/TBC account.

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False, I know people who have had it done.

Edit: Very nice though, reported for sticky.

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Q u o t e:


False, I know people who have had it done.

Edit: Very nice though, reported for sticky.

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It's not possible.

? don't post about things you have no clue about. Yes it is.

It ISN'T a service but has been done, I've seen it half a dozen times from pre tbc guilds I've been in and I've also helped people get it downgraded. Needs to be handled via a webform.

You can't downgrade. This has been said by Blizz a million times.
You can buy a new WoW game though and not upgrade it with TBC/Wrath.

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Q u o t e:
? don't post about things you have no clue about. Yes it is.

It ISN'T a service but has been done, I've seen it half a dozen times from pre tbc guilds I've been in and I've also helped people get it downgraded. Needs to be handled via a webform.

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The only possible time an account is downgraded is if you have 2 accounts and accidentally upgrade the wrong one.

Depending on the circumstances and how long it takes you to report, they MIGHT downgrade it. But it is incredibly unlikely.

Yes well, there is no proof that it's possible, and while it may have occurred on a case-by-case basis, it's safe to say that it is not the norm and giving people false hope in that regard probably isn't a good idea, so it won't go in the OP.

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Q u o t e:
Yes well, there is no proof that it's possible, and while it may have occurred on a case-by-case basis, it's safe to say that it is not the norm and giving people false hope in that regard probably isn't a good idea, so it won't go in the OP.

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That seems fair, also have a feeling as the people from my old server were doing a lot they started to see the trend and actually deny it to them. I know 100% it has been done (could find screen shots on an old forum if it even still exsists). Clueless people just saying it has not, and will not happen is annoying though.

Raising this from the depths of being buried under 2365890239823 battle bot threads.

I heartily approve this product or service.

YOU DID WELL.

This link will be on my ctrl + v whenever someone asks me anything about WoW. Except when it is something that does not have to do with mages :P

/lick for sticky.