I like a drink. The only thing wrong with that sentence is that it is in the singular form. I mean, why stop at one? Pluralism for the winner. And the world of warcraft lets you get sloshed to your hearts content. Not only that, it actually has a drunken effect. The first time that it happened to me I thought my computer was on the blink and I started bashing on the top of my desktop case. Which was a disaster as it spilt my glass of gin. There are so many ways to find a drink in WoW, they’re even included in quest lines. The Grim Guzzler bar would have to be the pinnacle of all things alcoholic in the game, with a barman as a boss, drunken patrons attempting to drown out the reality of where they live, and an oversized doorman ready to bounce you down the stairs.

The list of beverages to tittle your throat is longer than a night at the opera. Beers, ales, fine wines, ports, brandy, bourbon, rum, crap wine, whatever you can think of is in the game. And they will make you drunk, and everyone will know it. It’s a social thing to do, loosens everyone up, and can be a great cause of friction when you wipe a raid owing to the fact that you drank to much potent beverage and you couldn’t see your screen properly.

But what about a good smoke? If we can drink ourselves into a stupor, why can’t we puff away as well? There certainly are some smoking utensils in the game, with a few pipes, (one an epic), but that’s all there is. You can find some snuff if you know where to look, but you can’t use it. What could be more fitting than a dwarf puffing on a pipe outside an inn? It would be even better if you could rub it into his ugly dwarven face and set his beard on fire. How about that gigantic tauran warrior chomping on a half eaten cigar which smoulders from the side of his mouth? Or a lovely human warlock who daintly puffs on a beautifully tapered cigarette holder whilst calling demons to rip off your face?

A good smoke can be an excellent ice-breaker. I’ve lived in some pretty tricky parts of the world and sometimes found myself in some nasty situations. Producing a packet of fags and offering them to those brutal looking border guards can do wonders to any relationship. Give a hand rolled durrie to a potential source of information and watch him open up like a fresh spring flower. Each part of the world could have their smoke of choice. I can just see Stranglethorn Vale producing the most elegant of fine cigars. And think of the smuggling possibilities! Faction only smokes would cause the neutral auction house to literally catch on fire.

The possibilities are endless. Come on Blizzard, when you release Cataclysm, include some healthy ways to inhale. You know you want to.