Gear matching in battlegrounds
by Elizabeth Harper 
Feb 9th 2007 at 8:50AM
We've heard official word that the game is going to receive some sort of gear matching system for battlegrounds -- a system that will hopefully try to match up players based on the quality of their gear as well as their level. Theoretically, this would prevent twinks in all level brackets from simply steamrolling green-geared players who are taking a break from leveling up, as well as separating fully epiced out players from those brand new to 60 or 70. And a more challenging battleground match is more fun for all of us, right? And while we still lack any details on how such a system might work, we do have confirmation from Drysc that we should expect to see it in-game with the next major content patch (no, this wouldn't be 2.0.7). Great! Now we can move on to speculation as to when that might be...Filed under: News items, PvP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Seper Feb 9th 2007 9:16AM
Only problem with this... you would get new set up's of twinks though. My rogue right now is like all blues. But if I had too I could go grab the best greens for a 19 rogue and then enchant everything and go back in and steamroll. Only difference is I lose some armor and mabye some stat points which sucks! but probably wouldn't make a difference to an experienced player.
stapleboy Feb 9th 2007 9:25AM
This kind of attention to balancing PvP is one of the big things that brought me back for the expansion. I can kinda live with the fact that, one on one, all my characters are going to get smoked by any borderline competent warlock (sorry, I don't have an undead combat rogue). But I hated that BGs at 60 were ruined by the groups whose gear could beat you if they just left it sitting in a pile, regardless of their skill or the classes involved.
Matching gear will also ruin the fun of all the twinks who'll abandon WSG if there's even a 50% chance that not all targets will be gimmes. And that is wonderful. I hope it works and I hope it's soon :)
finalforeman Feb 9th 2007 9:22AM
I am sure that they would take a base stat rating, not just the gear, so + stat enchant items would be considered. I am not sure how you would count weapon proc abillities like ice weapon or crusader though.
Luis D. Feb 9th 2007 9:22AM
Well it's about fracking time, I can't tell you how much I hated getting my ass handed to me by Tier 2 or 3 geared players while I'm standing there in my shitty blues and greens in AV.
Seper Feb 9th 2007 9:23AM
I apoligize but my buddy is being a pain in my behind can I please get someone to answer this question for me.
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=4099
the +1-7 Shadow Damage is not damage it deals on every hit its +1-7 extra shadow damage on a succesful shadow hit.
Please Please Please get back to me on this so i can shut him up!!
Dr. Funbags Feb 9th 2007 9:38AM
Its gonna scan whatever your +stats are and your +enchant rating is. Twinks will be the only ones who complain - which is weird, cuz I thought they really only wanted to fight other Twinks??? ;)
Luke Feb 9th 2007 9:40AM
@Seper: judging by the damage per second, it must be +1-7 on every hit. 21-39 damage averages 30 damage per hit. 1-7 averages 4 per hit. (30+4) / 1.8 = 18.9, which is exactly the dps stated. (without the extra shadow damage, it would be 30/18 = 16.7dps)
Seper Feb 9th 2007 9:46AM
@7 thats not how it reads and Ive never ever seen a + come before dmg dealt on hit. Also I had 4 guildies last night say its + to shadow dmg and not 1-7 shadow dmg dealt. Only reason i'm asking here is cause my buddy isn't in my guild. Thx for the help. Anyone else got an opinion?
Dr. Funbags Feb 9th 2007 9:55AM
@4 - The +1-7 Shadow is on every successful Shadow damage hit. The opponent has a chance on every hit to resist the shadow.
multikast Feb 9th 2007 9:58AM
@seper
the +shadow is EVERY hit. if it were +shadow to shadow spells, it would say, increases damage by shadow spells and effects by up to 7.
back on topic,
i'm really curious to see how this plays out. nothing is keeping people from getting naked, queueing up, getting in and then equipping all their gear again. also, if they check inventory, you could go to bank and do the same thing. so, there are ways around it, but it remains to be seen how it will be implemented. i do have a 19 twink so this will effect me and i don't have a problem going against other twinks, but not when they have a full team of twinks and it's just me on our side.
multikast Feb 9th 2007 10:09AM
@9
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=12599
Night Reaver does the same thing. Why would they put it on a blue two-handed axe if it weren't actual melee hits? priests and warlocks can't yield such weapons.
Flit Feb 9th 2007 10:11AM
Marvelous.
I'm sure they'll have some sort of Inventory check for the requirements. If you have X amount of armor on your character (whether you are wearing it or not), you will be put in Such and Such a bracket. That seems to be the best way to do it. Add up the best items that a toon is carrying with them, and put them in the corresponding bracket. This is a great thing for bg's of all levels, but will probably empty out the 19 bg's quite a bit.
Larry Jensen II Feb 9th 2007 10:27AM
So then what is to happen when you are going into a BG as a premade. And all of the other (if you are doing Guild Premade) have different levels of gear. Is Blizz going to break that group up?
I especially like the ALL WARLOCKS PREMADES...
Braz Feb 9th 2007 10:50AM
Gear matching in the BGs is a great idea. I know that I stayed away from high-level BGs for the simple reason that I knew my gear couldn't compete with all of the epic'd out players and twinks. Gear matching will encourage more casual players--like myself--to visit the BGs more often, some for the very first time.
I am sure that the final system will take into account all of the tricks that unscrupulous players might use in order to smuggle overpowered gear into the BGs; and, if not, later patches will address any shortcomings.
The bottom line is that the time of the twink ruling the Battleground is coming to an end, whether it takes one patch or five.
Tommysback Feb 9th 2007 11:07AM
To all above:
There will be both an Inventory and Bank check. Blue post from awhile back if you want to dig for it, from Kalgan I believe.
Aden Nak Feb 9th 2007 11:09AM
It's about bloody time. I don't mind when I lose in a BG because I made a mistake, because I got cornered by too many opponents, or just plain because someone was better than me. But losing in a BG because someone else dropped 600 gold on a level 29 is obnoxious.
If twinking is done to "enhance the game" or build the best character possible, then running twink vs twink BGs will only increase the thrill.
If twinking is done because people need to get a huge ego boost out of beating someone with sheer math rather than skill, then screw 'em. I hope this ruins the experience of ganking someone with 1/4 of their total DPS. Let them go roll up to 70 on a PvP server and ride around in STV if that's how they shine their knobs.
Dr. Funbags Feb 9th 2007 11:36AM
@11 - I don't mean it adds +1-7 to shadow spell damage. It hits the opponent for +1-7 shadow damage on every hit - unless the opponent resists it.
Kabira-Fenris Feb 9th 2007 5:51PM
Won't people just put greens on to get into the easier battleground and then switch their gear once they're in? And be like wolves in a sheep pen... or something...
Clementure Feb 9th 2007 11:57AM
This is stupid. It'll make queues longer, it'll make challenges less satisfying, and you're never going to get a level playing field in any endeavor, so to expect one in a game is wishful thinking.
A lot of the fun and challenge of the PVP grind to get my GM weapon was having to learn and improve my play, regardless of my opponent's gear. Before the expansion, in my T1 gear, I become more and more effective as I learned to deal with opponents wearing superior gear. In other words, I improved.
Now, in this Affirmative Action, Politically Correct, Multiculturally Sensitive battleground, when you lose you can expect Blizzard to wipe your nose for you, brush away your tears, and make sure your delicate ego is fluffed up after a loss.
And, in the meantime, you'll be worth crap at PVP.
multikast Feb 9th 2007 12:14PM
@ Dr Funbags
sorry, i misunderstood your previous post. we were saying the same thing.
@19
i disagree. more than likely this 'gear matching' will be more of a 'best effort' attempt such that you don't have 50 people in 10 different categories waiting on a BG to pop. as long as it's best effort system, it should work out fine.